‘How am I supposed to make it?’: Homeless moved from Fresno County encampment

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office worked to clear out a homeless encampment in Fresno County on Friday, but those living there say they cannot move somewhere new as they will not be able to work.

Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni says at least 10 to 12 homeless people and 10 to 12 animals were evicted for trespassing on private property in the area of Raisin City in Fresno County.

“We posted on this property five days in advance with an actual posting,” Zanoni said. “Letting [the unhoused] know that this morning they were subject to removal from the property.”

Sheriff Zanoni says the encampment had been around for about a year and was causing problems for the owner of the property, as well as nearby residents.

“Right behind us is a playground for kids,” Zanoni said.

“This is a small community here in Raisin City. There’s no running water here, there’s no sewer. It’s very unsanitary, poor quality of life condition that is bringing down the quality of life for the surrounding area.”

According to Sheriff Zanoni, the eviction is not related to Governor Newsom’s recent executive order or Fresno County’s homeless cleanup ordinance as those refer to public land. Friday’s action was described by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office as a court-ordered eviction.

“This is a private property owner who has these people essentially illegally on his property with this encampment,” Zanoni said.

“The ordinance only applies to public property, so on private property, people are still going to have to go through the penal code for trespassing or the eviction type of process.”

Zanoni says all of the homeless people who were evicted were offered services from Kings View Advocacy Center , but adds that none of them accepted that assistance.

Carmen Mariscal had been living in the encampment for five months. She says she refused services to continue working as a landscaper in Raisin City.

“I work here [not the City of Fresno],” Mariscal said. “I have no car and I don’t know how to drive. How am I supposed to make it here to work?”

Mariscal says if there were places to rent in Raisin City she wouldn’t have to live in an encampment. She says she does have relatives in Fresno but chooses not to move in with them.

Sheriff Zanoni says there is still one hearing left to determine the future of Fresno County’s homeless encampments ordinance . If it is passed, it will only affect public land; private evictions will still have to go through the Penal Code.

Sheriff Zanoni says private business owners can avoid large evictions like this one by immediately confronting unhoused individuals and letting them know they’re not allowed to stay – as well as contacting law enforcement before it’s too late.

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