County wants to get rid of homeless camps near rivers
YAKIMA, Wash. -- County commissioners say your safety along the banks of the rivers is a growing concern throughout the entire county.
In an effort to turn that around, commissioners are trying to make it harder for transients and homeless to live along the water.
It's a growing problem that's hard not to notice.
"Tarps and stuff tied up in trees, for blocking wind. Fires and tents and lots of trash along the river bank there," Tyler Ekenbarger said. "I've actually seen a naked homeless man bathing in the river."
Tyler Ekenbarger says he sees it just about everyday near the Naches River.
It was a similar scene just last month. Action News was there when the Department of Transportation had to break up a homeless camp near Highway 12.
"I'll go down there in a group but I'll never go by myself," Kellie Armstrong said about areas near the river.
There currently isn't a strong county code prohibiting people from sleeping on county-owned property. However, commissioners will vote to pass an ordinance Tuesday to give authorities more power to remove those who do.
It will make it illegal for anyone to sleep or live on county property.
And it will make it easier for police to cite and arrest violators.
Commissioners tell Action News they hope the ordinance will also give peace of mind to those who use the the greenway.
Tyler says he's happy with the county's effort to clean the area up, fearing that the worst could happen if it isn't stopped.
"They get on drugs and stuff like that, they don't know what they're doing," Tyler said. "They're gonna try and attack somebody. Maybe kill them possibly or take their money."
The county says posting signs for no-trespassing and hours of operation hasn't worked. Violating the new ordinance will be considered a misdemeanor.
In an effort to turn that around, commissioners are trying to make it harder for transients and homeless to live along the water.
It's a growing problem that's hard not to notice.
"Tarps and stuff tied up in trees, for blocking wind. Fires and tents and lots of trash along the river bank there," Tyler Ekenbarger said. "I've actually seen a naked homeless man bathing in the river."
Tyler Ekenbarger says he sees it just about everyday near the Naches River.
It was a similar scene just last month. Action News was there when the Department of Transportation had to break up a homeless camp near Highway 12.
"I'll go down there in a group but I'll never go by myself," Kellie Armstrong said about areas near the river.
There currently isn't a strong county code prohibiting people from sleeping on county-owned property. However, commissioners will vote to pass an ordinance Tuesday to give authorities more power to remove those who do.
It will make it illegal for anyone to sleep or live on county property.
And it will make it easier for police to cite and arrest violators.
Commissioners tell Action News they hope the ordinance will also give peace of mind to those who use the the greenway.
Tyler says he's happy with the county's effort to clean the area up, fearing that the worst could happen if it isn't stopped.
"They get on drugs and stuff like that, they don't know what they're doing," Tyler said. "They're gonna try and attack somebody. Maybe kill them possibly or take their money."
The county says posting signs for no-trespassing and hours of operation hasn't worked. Violating the new ordinance will be considered a misdemeanor.
For those that are on or work for the Yakima County... You all should be a ashamed of yourselves.... Really... Some of the homeless people have names... and have jobs, but don't make enough to afford HOUSING in Yakima or the surrounding areas, these folks are some of the nicest poeple I have met, many of them have medical issues that are not addressed because of lack of money and other means... Hey Mayor why don't you live a week on the streets and try to find food and shelter and see just how many doors are really opened  to you...  $30.00 on food stamps, and dress as a Homeless person and TRY to FIND a Job... NOT SO EASY.... Just saying maybe you should think before you take all their "homes" away, or better yet use the OLD JAIL by the fair grounds to house them instead of taking them jail and making have fines you know they can't afford.. NOT ALL HOMELESS FOLKS ARE CRAZY OR VOILENT....
Its a tough road....I don't condemn the county for trying to solve the problem any less than I condemn the person that rewards panhandlers with the dollar on the roadside..You want to help the homeless??Donate to charities that are involved in the community... demand tough legislation against promoting slave labor( AG wages for the illegal immigrants) This society is not healthy... maybe lancing a boil hurts... but it solves the problem.
Where's the wonderful "union gospel mission" when you need them. Maybe only certain people are allowed. When I caught a pervert at their youth center my car got ruined and I was followed by the union gospel mission regulars. I know a guy that does that for them. It's hard to tell him that the reason they have him follow women and children is because he's so creepy. He's been here for 10 years.
There must be a kinder way to handle this. Â
way to go yakima, showing your stupidity again. where do you think HOMELESS people will go? yakima sucks
I am amazed at some of the rules that this county thinks will fix problems. A County or City code is like any other Law or Rule. There will be those that obey and those that under some circumstances will or can not comply. County and city I  sugest you talk to our legislators about creating more jobs so there will be less homesless (regulations, taxes). And while your at it, lead by example. You are only in office to do the peoples bidding. Last time I checked... the homeless were still people, taxes payers without a legal address. County officals when was the last time you went down YOURSELF and talked to some of those homeless? When was the last time county officals that you didnt have a toilet or a place to keep clean or a safe place to sleep? What is the answer to the homeless problem? Another Code, Law or Rule is not the answer......
The county should designate an area to be a homeless camp. Fence it off from surrounding areas and provide outhouses to keep some sanitation and let them be. Making it illegal for the homeless to camp along the river will only force them somewhere else.Â
Passing an ordinance like this does nothing but displace the homeless.  All you are doing is moving the problem elsewhere while persecuting the unaware homeless dudes that continue squatting  You can't make homelessness go away simply by passing a county ordinance.Â