Escambia County is taking steps to clear out the B eggs Lane encampment in Brent , the county’s largest and possibly oldest camp where hundreds of people experiencing homelessness have lived off and on for more than 20 years. The tentative deadline is to move people off the county owned property by Dec. 2, and county leaders are working with area service providers to make it as smooth a transition as possible.
An estimated 150 campers live in the wooded area near the 4300 Block of N. Palafox, which was once a neighborhood that was razed due to pollution from the Escambia Wood Treating Company superfund site next door. In fact, that’s why campers can no longer stay here. Liz Kissel, Escambia County grants and special projects manager, said the property was deeded to the county by the Environmental Protection Agency years ago and it cannot be used for residential use.
Beggs Lane Camp: Hundreds of homeless people live where others work. It's not safe, sanitary or easily solved
“That property was actually deeded to the county several years ago, and with that deed came environmental restrictions, and one of those restrictions is it is not allowed for residential use and people camping there is considered residential use,” said Kissel. “This all kind of snowballed when the Environmental Protection Agency was doing some site visits and noticed the camp. People cannot legally be staying there due to the deed restrictions. It’s just not safe. In addition to the House Bill 1365 that goes into effect Oct. 1, just makes it even more important that we kind of figure out what to do with this camp.”
House Bill 1365 is a new law that bans cities and counties from allowing people to sleep on public property without a temporary permit unless there’s a state of emergency. County leaders have started holding meetings with local service providers to create a plan for the move. Those that provide street outreach have already been alerting campers to the upcoming changes.
The goal is to give official notice by Sept. 1, which coincides with the opening of Waterfront Mission’s new women’s program, which makes more beds available for women.
“We know it's going to be alarming, but we're here to help,” said Kissel. “In the next couple weeks, they're going to start seeing more Escambia County staff out there. They're going to start to see more community partner representatives walking the encampments to share that information and resources so that we can start the transition slowly. Then we'll be posting notices with the actual deadline in the next couple of weeks.”
The goal is to move everyone off the street, understanding that not everyone wants to go into a program or wants to change their lifestyle. For those that do want a change, the goal is to provide them with the resources to do it. Whether it’s a program, a job, an ID, or a temporary or permanent place to stay, resources will be offered to help them get to a better place, said Kissel.
She said they plan to host several events near the campsite, starting in September, that will bring those resources to the people who are living there in an effort to make it convenient and reach as many people as possible. Besides Waterfront Mission’s Hope for Her program, Overflow will be opening soon, a new Pensacola shelter offering services, programs, and about 60 beds for individuals and some families. Kissel said a new shelter is also making plans to open in the former women’s shelter, The Lodges, which will offer space to both men and women.
The county is also exploring options to make camping available in certain designated areas, like ReEntry Alliance Pensacola’s Safe Outdoor Space camp, behind the Al and Mary Stubblefield Residential Center. Kissel said case managers will be working with people one-on-one to meet their unique needs.
“There's going to be so much case management that needs to be done with these folks to make sure each individual has a chance to share their story. And as we learn their story, we put them with the best resources possible,” said Kissel. “This is the biggest thing we need to really focus on.”
Neighbors and nearby business owners have long complained about problems and crime that have come from so many people camping nearby including trash, drug use, trespassing, and a lack of proper sanitation. While many of the campers are folks who work but can’t afford a place of their own, others struggle with addiction and mental health issues. Kissel said Lakeview Center will be one of the lead agencies in assisting with case management.
They’re also going to work close with Escambia Animal Control because many of the campers have pets and Kissel said the area has also become a dumping ground for animals. Their hope is to make sure people have all the help they need to relocate safely with all of their possessions, if possible, by early December.
The county has no plans to use law enforcement to enforce the move until the “last minute,” if someone is refusing to leave. Otherwise, they’ll be relying on community partners to work with the campers around Beggs Lane, as well as other camps around the county.
“We're going to try to do this the most effective way. Give these people some time. If they have somewhere they can move, we’ll help them move them versus them losing them,” said Kissel. “I think sometimes people forget that these are somebody's parents or somebody's brothers and sisters that just have landed on some really hard times.”
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: After 20 years, Escambia County plans to move homeless from Beggs Lane Camp in Brent
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