Lansing city workers remove homeless encampment north of downtown

• Lansing city workers removed a homeless encampment near downtown Wednesday morning
• The city says it informed people there last week that the clearing would be imminent
• Video shows Lansing parks director explaining why it was done and a resident saddened about his removal

Lansing city workers removed a homeless encampment just off Michigan Route 43 Wednesday morning.
Crews were seen in the area near Saginaw and Center Streets where dozens of items were gathered up and later thrown out.

The area partially belongs to the Lansing Park District and Norfolk Southern Railroad, according to Lansing Parks director Bret Kaschinske. Kaschinske says the city sent a notice saying the encampment would be cleared out by Wednesday morning.

PHOTO: MAKWARIA LITTLEJOHN SITS WITH DANIEL STRUNK AS THEY WATCH CITY WORKERS TEAR DOWN A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT NEAR SAGINAW & CENTER STREETS WEDNESDAY MORNING

Daniel Valle

Kaschinske adds the city had been working with residents at the encampment for the past two weeks to provide social workers and other services to help.

"The city of Lansing is really compassionate on these things but at the end of the day these encampments do not get smaller they only get bigger," Kaschinske said.

One resident, Daniel Strunk, said he'd been living at the encampment for the past four months. Strunk says he has a place to stay but is worried about others who may not.

"I'm a little upset, of course, hurt," Strunk said. "Young people that are lost, now they have nowhere to go."

Kaschinske says the city doesn't allow anyone to camp out at its parks once they're closed. Those who wish to camp at parks after closing must receive special permission from the city.

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