Homeless Campers At Highways 1 And 9 Ordered To Leave: Report

SANTA CRUZ, CA — The California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, has called on people camping at the intersection of Highways 1 and 9 to leave the area ahead of a construction project, Lookout Santa Cruz reported.

Caltrans will sweep the encampment Monday morning — 72 hours after campers were warned that they needed to pack up, Lookout reported. People who will not leave will face arrest, according to a photo of the sign obtained by Lookout.

Advocates for unhoused persons in Santa Cruz argued that the move could potentially endanger campers placed in shelters, where COVID-19 could more easily spread.

Because the encampment is located along the highway, it is technically situated on property owned by Caltrans.

Santa Cruz Mayor Donna Meyers wrote Gov. Gavin Newsom in February and asked him to direct Caltrans to conduct a sweep of the area, citing safety concerns and a possible threat to endangered species in the nearby San Lorenzo River. The city has footed the bill for daily trash cleanup in the area but hazards such as open-air drug deals and human waste remain at the site.

Meyers also asked for emergency funding to create new temporary shelters for homeless campers, among other requests.

"Even though we are a small city, we still have overwhelming big-city problems," the city wrote in the letter to the governor.

An estimated 1,200 homeless people reside in Santa Cruz, which has a population of about 65,000.

Read more from Lookout Santa Cruz.