The encampment along South Patterson Drive, which is on property owned by Monroe County. Cleanup at the site started Thursday.
(Holden Abshier, WFIU/WTIU News)
Unhoused members of two camps in Monroe County were forced to move off private property this week. One camp was off Patterson Drive, about a quarter mile northwest of Catalent, and the other was behind the west side Fresh Thyme.
County commissioners Wednesday approved up to $24,500 to clean the encampment on Patterson Drive starting Thursday. The property is inside Bloomington city limits but owned by Monroe County.
Travis Cummings is from Bloomington and said he lived in the camp of six people (three couples) for two years.
“They came last week and put that notice up and it’s only been six days, and at 9 a.m. there was no if, ands, or buts, you were going to jail if you didn’t leave,” Cummings said.
He said officers said they plan to set up surveillance so people can’t come back to get remaining possessions.
“I tried my hardest to get everything I could,” Cummings said.
Cummings was not able to get his tent out of the camp, and he isn’t sure what comes next for him. He said he plans to head toward the B-Line trail.
Travis Cummings is a 40 year old who has lived in Bloomington his whole life. (Holden Abshier, WFIU/WTIU)
County attorney Jeff Cockerill said a homeowner in the area reported the camp last week.
“[We’re] in the process of getting that cleaned up so it’s not a trash heap with a bunch of needles in it,” Cockerill said.
He said the county’s procedure begins with inspection, posting notice, and then not moving property for three days. Personal property is held for one week; exceptional value items are held for two weeks.
Commissioner’s administrator Angie Purdie said the county informed local shelters of the issue Monday.
“We try to get the street resource officers involved to help people so we’re not criminalizing the situation,” Purdie said. “We’re hoping to get them into a safe environment, but we also have to look out for the safety of our community.”
Commissioners unanimously approved the cleanup.
“These are situations that are somewhat dangerous for everyone living around there or working around there,” commissioner Lee Jones said. “It’s very unfortunate that it happens at all, and really there is not much we can do but shut it down and clean it up, which generally means they just go someplace else.”
The notice Monroe County posted on its property along South Patterson Drive. (Holden Abshier, WFIU/WTIU News)
Fresh Thyme encampment
Members of the encampment behind Fresh Thyme at 3600 W. Third Street were told by the Bloomington Police Department and a member of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office that they had to evacuate the area on Tuesday afternoon.
The campers were allegedly informed at 1 p.m. on Tuesday they needed to move, or they would be arrested. Some unhoused members were able to negotiate the deadline to 5 p.m., and several activists and community members helped residents of the campsite evacuate the area in time.
The unhoused persons were in campsites on a revocable land trust, which is private properly, according to Marc Teller, a board member of the Bloomington Homeless Coalition. Campers were told the owner would bulldoze the area, whether or not there were still tents or personal belongings.
“What would you grab if your house caught fire on your way out? What's the most important thing that you would grab?" Teller said. "They basically played that game for about 15 minutes, kind of staring at their stuff, going, ‘OK, what am I going to, what am I OK with losing right now?”
Bloomington police said it responded to provide information to individuals about local services that may be of assistance to them with relocation, securing housing, etc.
