Cleaning up debris at homeless encampments can be costly for Columbus: ‘It’s going to cost the city a lot of money’

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Columbus City Council is discussing a proposed new ordinance that would toughen the city’s homeless camping laws on public property.

WRBL News 3’s Chuck Williams spent some time at several of the city’s homeless camps on Thursday and observed the engagement between the officers and individuals who are unhoused.

One of the things that can be overlooked over the years is the volume of trash that is generated at these homeless encampments.  

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This week, the Columbus Public Works Department revealed the data on the problem, and over the past two and a half years, members have cleaned up more than 60 homeless sites across the city. 

That’s more than 75 tons of debris, which is enough to fill atleast seven garbage trucks. 

One of the encampments that possibly produces the most amount of trash is in the ditch below J.R. Allen Parkway. But how do you clean it up? 

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“That’s a good question. And we are almost a quarter mile down into this area. That is a question for public works. They would have to come down here, look at this situation, and decide how they would get it cleaned up,” said Sgt. Katina Williams with CPD’s Community Policing Unit.

But one thing Williams does know, it will be expensive. 

“It is not going to be an easy cleanup. And it’s going to cost the city a lot of money,” Williams said.

This week, Public Works Director Drale Short addressed the council on the ongoing problem in Columbus.

“I want you to also understand when we get rid of one, two, or three more will pop up somewhere else in town,” Short said.

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He continued, “this is Manchester Expressway, westbound at Miller Road—the exit ramp. I think you all remember that one. This is what we consider a very large homeless camp. And understand, you see all the trees, it is not an area where we can just drive in with heavy equipment, scoop it up, and carry it all away. We have to haul of that debris to a staging area. We pile it all up, then we bring in the heavy equipment to dispose of it.” 

It’s one thing to hear numbers on this problem during a city council presentation, but it’s another thing to be walking around in it. There is nothing but busted glass, used needles, nails, you name it, and it’s there.

Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson said that city council will continue the discussion on a proposed homeless camping ordinance. They will resume those talks Aug. 12 

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