COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Council Bluffs continues to clear homeless encampments along the river due to long-planned riverfront development, but some residents are sure where they're going to go.
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
One of the neighbors who lives in a tent along the riverfront called Katrina Markel Wednesday morning — worried and scared because they don't know where they're going to go next.
"How would you feel if somebody grabbed these skid loaders and rolled up to your house," said Kenny Finneran, another person living in the encampment. "And you come home from work and all of sudden you stuff's being thrown in a dumpster?"
For nearly two years KMTV has been covering the city's homeless outreach program — called HOP — which has been gradually helping folks move into shelters, apartments or new camp sites as development north of Tom Hanafan Park continues.
Finneran and his partner don't have a new place, but have to vacate their camp site this week.
When asked what he had been doing Wednesday morning, Finneran said he was gathering up his stuff "as best as I can and as fast as I can."
Katrina Markel met Finneran's neighbor, Kevin Ward, almost a year ago. He camps nearby with his wife, Justine. They say they've known for two weeks the camp would be cleared and didn't feel it was enough time.
"They're excavating with bulldozers right now. Coming in with skid loaders with law enforcement backup and just scooping everybody out," Ward said.
Sgt. Dan Stuck knows these campers. He said official conversations with campers about this current relocation started in September and accelerated over the last few weeks.
"We've had several. Several people that have moved. Some have gotten into housing even, which is awesome," Stuck said.
But housing and homelessness were also big issues in the recent city elections and Ward was warned" "It's a mayoral election and you guys are the hot seat. You are the topic."
Both Stuck and Ward told me they have a good relationship.
"They're doing the best that they can but they're just doing their job at the end of the day," Ward said.
Stuck said he's trying to buy as much time as possible for the two couples. Late Wednesday afternoon, Justine and Kevin called and told me they hadn't been moved yet.
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