Homeless Could Be Moving Out

Sleeping outside, under the stars might be some people`s idea of going camping. But for some people in Little Rock, it`s a lifestyle. More than 27 homeless camps have been counted, hidden around town. The city plans to clean up the camps, but it`s temporarily on hold. The city is hoping to have the support of the Central Arkansas Team Cares for the Homeless, or CATCH. The group says they would like to see a different, more long term plan. Friday morning, the two sides met to see if they can come to an agreement. Shoes, blankets, and cans of food, they`re the makings of ahome left outside in the rain. "On the streets, under bridges, abandoned houses, where ever they can, in the woods," said Earnest Wise of the places where some homeless people live. He`s been living and working at the Union Rescue Mission for the last 2 years. "The camps are illegal, they are unsafe, they are unsanitary," said Phil Hill, director at the Union Rescue Mission. The city says because of an increase in complaints from property owners, it is speeding up the process to clean up the camps. The plan would have case management teams, of police officers, social workers and service providers make contact with the people living there. "And give them information and direct them to services being provided to them and at the same time inform them this camp site will be cleaned up," said Andre Bernard, Little Rock Housing and Neighborhood Programs director. But plans have recently slowed to a crawl because the city is hoping for CATCH`s support. "Having more time to create more thorough, or a long term plan, make sure service are actually identified for the homeless in these camps," said Bernard of the plan CATCH is hoping for. The city estimates between 200 and 300 people in the Little Rock area have no shelter and are living in camps. But there could be between 1,800 and 3,000 transients altogether, living in shelters or elsewhere. Meanwhile, homeless advocates have scheduled an outreach day for September 25, to provide them with services.