Modesto homeless move back into formerly furnished Tuolumne River caves

MODESTO — Some homeless people in Modesto appear to have moved back into the caves along the Tuolumne River near Crater Avenue.

CBS13 was the first to uncover and get action from the city on the issue back in January , but now neighbors say people are moving back in.

The caves may look less elaborate than they did eight months ago when we were out here, but the safety concern for neighbors is still the same.

"There's families, couples, I saw a small child going with a homeless group down into it," said Tracy Rojas, who lives up above the cave campers. "There's been loose dogs, pit bulls, noises, trash just everywhere."

Rojas took us on a tour of the caves back in January and gave us a look inside the rent-free living happening in the craters below her home on Crater Avenue.

Thick foliage now camouflages most of the area but recent groceries on the ground, blankets, clothes hangers, and a campfire all were evidence we found of people living there again.

"The sheriff and parks were trying to come out here earlier in the summer, but I haven't seen that in at least a month or so now," Rojas said.

The city put up orange plastic fencing in response to our reports in January, but it is now clearly cut through. We even spotted a large knife lying in the shrubbery.

"We don't know how secure this ground is," Rojas said. "Now it's almost nine months, ten months later. Who knows if they have dug further in there?"

We took her safety concerns to the City of Modesto and the mayor who redirected us to the police department, which said it is looking into the issue.

"I hope the city will take it serious and come down here and fill up these caves," Rojas said.

Rojas knows housing is an issue, but she does not want another temporary solution. She wants permanent action.

She is concerned about the safety of her neighborhood and the people living down there, especially with the wet season around the corner.

We also reached out to the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office but have not heard back.