Live fires nightly with noxious fumes all night every night, at least since the last weekend on May. Squatters camp seems well-established with bicycle parking, wood pile, several tents. Can fire trucks even get back there in a timely fashion? We feel unsafe. There is a difference between homeless, itinerants, and squatters. These appear to be squatters.
There is an encampment to the east of Somersbe along the access road that runs parallel to Rogers Road that is hazardous and toxic. Earlier in the summer this was reported anonymously for fear of retaliation. Apparently 3 entities own the property - the city, county, and a railroad. All that has happened so far to address this problem is a huge dumpster being moved to the access road and MORE people moving to the encampment when Switchyard Park was cleared. I am sending a plea for clean up. I am not representing specific people in the Somersbe neighborhood, but alerting your office to the issues that have been discussed. This morning open fires were burning along the access road. There is garbage, human and animal waste, unleaded dogs, along with illegal camping sites. At the beginning of June 2024 police were called because of a disturbance including threats of murder, and the fire department was called because of all the smoke. Our backyards are no longer safe, it is difficult to sleep with open windows or be in our yards or on our decks because of the smoke, screaming, and safety of being chased. This apparently happened to at least 2 residents this summer. A dumpster does not equate to crisis management. It is difficult to communicate when we have to do it anonymously for fear of retribution. I am not being redundant, I am providing documentation.
There is a low-hanging wire in my back yard (although it appears to be on the rental property next door at 402 E 1st Street). It may become a fire hazard. Currently, there is no one living at this address and I am concerned that this wire may cause an electric shock to a person/child or the wildlife. July, 4, 2024
Near Westside neighborhood had yet another fire this eve--third since the weekend. Every time we call the fire department, the don't do anything about it, but this time, they could not ignore it because the woods were on fire with huge smoke plume. (See video posted on Near Westside Facebook page.) Mayor Thompson has asked us to keep reporting and to use this uReport number 192446, but we can't because the issue is listed as "closed." These issues are connected to the unhoused people encampment back between the rail lines just west of Butler park. What is the City going to do help keep us from having to breathe the toxic smoke on a regular basis and also to keep us safe from the fires?