Answer Woman: Did an NCDOT encampment 'cleanup' off I-40 in Asheville leave a mess behind?
ASHEVILLE - Today's burning question is about a homeless encampment clearing in early January, and whether the N.C. Department of Transportation will do more to address any damage left behind by "cleanup" efforts. Got a question for Answer Man or Answer Woman? Email Interim Executive Editor Karen Chávez at KChavez@citizentimes.com and your question could appear in an upcoming column.
Question: So the recent “trash” cleanup by NCDOT next to the I-40 entry ramp off Smokey Park Highway looks horrible! The hidden tent city looked way better than the mutilated trees left in the wanton forest destruction unleashed by the bulldozers. My question to you: Does NCDOT think they are done? Are they really planning to just walk away from this mess?
Answer: It's not a new story in Asheville. Both the clearing of camps, which are often a last resort for people with nowhere else to go, and the NCDOT cleanup itself that involves the use of mini-excavators to pick up materials left at the site, and sometimes leaves the area raw, earth overturned and vegetation scraped away.
NCDOT spokesperson David Uchiyama said Division 13 staff ― which encompasses Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties ― and the city of Asheville created a work group for addressing encampments on highway rights of way, like the one mentioned above.
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He said NCDOT only steps in once "individuals have had an opportunity to relocate and have moved their belongings."
The cleanup in question took place Jan. 6 off I-40 West, Exit 44, when NCDOT "removed litter" after receiving a notification from law enforcement that the area had been vacated.
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According to a Jan. 11 news release from the Asheville Police Department, the homeless encampments were located on NCDOT property, and APD made "several notifications" before cleanup was to begin. Connecting people to resources falls to Homeward Bound, which APD spokesperson Samantha Booth said responded several times during a two-week period to "offer services and problem-solve the situation with the persons in crisis."
"NCDOT does not initiate the clean up of encampments or provide outreach," Uchiyama said. "Outreach is performed by the Asheville Police and their community partners. NCDOT’s only role is the removal of any debris left behind after the area has been vacated."
In response to the question of why the encampment was cleared, he said that was best answered by Asheville police.
Of the cleanup itself, Uchiyama said "NCDOT uses mini-excavators to pick up as much material as possible for the safety of our employees, due to risks involved with biohazards onsite. The material is then disposed of properly."
The reader mentioned environmental impacts to the the site, to which Uchiyama said that NCDOT works to "minimize any damage."
"NCDOT cleared hazardous debris from trees, shrubs and flatland on right of way with mini-excavators. This is the safest way to prevent employees from coming in contact with needles and other biological hazards that were commingled with the vegetation," he said.
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When asked if NCDOT was finished doing work there, he said they have "concluded litter removal," and will evaluate further.
"Since we have completed our work, NCDOT staff will evaluate the location to determine if any additional work, including additional cleaning, re-seeding, or vegetation management is needed."
The reader also asked if there was an "NCDOT complaint line" they could call. Uchiyama provided the Division 13 number: 828-250-3000.
Mike DeSerio, outreach program manager with Homeward Bound, confirmed outreach was done at both of the encampments off the interstate. Personally, he was involved with several site visits to one of the encampments, and said Homeward Bound had "ample" advance notice to connect with the people camping there, though they were not provided an exact date of the clearing.
As for cleanup itself, DeSerio said it was his understanding that the ground scraping and subsequent foliage loss was a typical part of the process.
“I think they assume there is going to be some kind of drug paraphernalia, which includes needles, and so that ground scraping thing is basically their way of ... making sure all those things are either buried or gathered," he said.
Typically, he noted, when encampments like this are scattered, there is not another place for people to go, be it because of a lack of available shelter beds or lack of other more long-term solutions.
“I’m 99% sure they would have to go camp somewhere else,” he said of the individuals cleared.
Encampment policy changes possible
On the topic of encampment clearings, a Jan. 25 report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness to Asheville City Council and Board of Commissioners recommended the implementation of an encampment resolution policy and strategy should be among the area's first priorities in addressing unsheltered homelessness.
Currently, the city and county do not have a specific set of policies, Alliance CEO Ann Oliva said, aside from a policy held by the Asheville Police Department.
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"In the places that are doing encampment resolutions policies, there are usually multidisciplinary teams that don't include the police unless there is actually some criminal activity that's happening," Oliva said. "And those multidisciplinary teams are professional outreach workers that can provide trauma informed care to people who are living in unsheltered situations and they have access to housing and shelter resources."
Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: What is NCDOT's role in homeless camp clearing off I-40 in Asheville?
