Macon-Bibb crews collect remaining homeless campsites after Monday deadline arrives

Joe Turner had been camped on the banks of the Ocmulgee River since March until an edict forced him to find a new place to live Monday.

The 56-year-old was aware he had to leave, but he needed help gathering up some of his belongings. Turner was still inside his tent when Parks and Beautification Director Sam Kitchens and a group of other employees approached his campsite Monday morning.

Turner's campsite by the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail featured a makeshift fire pit surrounded by cinder blocks and his bicycle, along with other possessions. He said he would set up another tent and his belongings about four miles away near the Cherokee Brick site.

"Moving by Cherokee brickyard; that's the only patch of woods I know," Turner said.

Earlier this month, Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert mandated the homeless move away from Central City Park and Gateway Park. He cited safety issues for people visiting the park, who've been approached by the homeless asking for money. There are also sanitation problems with a lack of restroom facilities for the homeless to use, the mayor has said.

Reichert's edict prompted former Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis to refer to Reichert as a Grinch, saying there is a viable alternative for a shelter.

By Friday, the majority of the 30 or so homeless people had already moved out of Central City and Gateway Park, Macon-Bibb spokesman Chris Floore said.

Sheriff's deputies stopped by the campsites over the weekend to remind the homeless of the Monday deadline.

On Monday morning, there were several other homeless encampments near Central City's levee, although it was unclear if the belongings had been purposely deserted or if the owners planned to return.

Parks and Beautification employees were tasked with packing anything they believed the owner would still want into plastic bins and onto truck beds to be put in a Recreation Department warehouse, Kitchens said.

"We’ll let every one of the resources know — Daybreak, Rescue Mission, Salvation Army — let them know where it’s at," he said. "If anybody's here (today), we let them know where it's going to be."

By Monday afternoon, the employees had removed nine "active" encampments, places that appeared to have someone living there recently and four other sites, Floore said.

Where are the homeless relocating?

It's unclear where most of the homeless who lived along the trail are relocating. Even the number of people staying along the Ocmulgee trail fluctuated over time.

Ellis said he spent Sunday night camping out with the homeless at Central City as a symbol of solidarity.

"Some say they don’t want trouble. They don’t understand why they have to move," Ellis said. "Some will go to abandoned buildings, some will go (live) in the woods."

"They don't disappear," he added. "They're out of sight, but they're still amongst us."

Reichert cited what he said are some success stories in recent days, including a couple of people with the help of Daybreak who have moved into motels with the hope of finding a rehabilitation program and eventually permanent homes.

"It’s not a monolithic bloc," Reichert said. "They all don’t leave here to go there. Some go home. There have been a couple of wonderful stories to come out of Daybreak about people who had been reticent to explore housing opportunities."

Stanley Dunlap, 478-744-4623

This story was originally published December 18, 2017 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Macon-Bibb crews collect remaining homeless campsites after Monday deadline arrives."