Homelessness is a problem that plagues large cities and small towns. About 20,300 people reside in Agoura Hills, CA, as of 2020. The town’s mayor and council aren’t sure of exactly how many homeless people are in the area, but they do know that the number is rising in 2020. While Agoura Hills is a beautiful community known for a thriving music scene and many elegant estates, homelessness is a concern here. If you’ve discovered a homeless encampment on your private property, the first step is to report the situation to law enforcement. They’ll arrive and disperse the occupants. After that, it’s up to you to clean what’s left behind. The debris left from a homeless encampment contains many hazards, and it’s not a good idea to attempt to clean it yourself. Eco Bear is an experienced team of cleaners offering professional homeless encampment cleaning services in Agoura Hills and the surrounding area. We have the skills, training, crew size, personal protective equipment (PPE), experience and supplies to safely clean a homeless encampment on your property as quickly as possible.

What a Homeless Encampment Is

A homeless encampment may also be referred to as a tent city. It’s a collection of temporary or makeshift shelters built by individuals or families who are homeless. A homeless encampment may have 10 or 20 people and cover a small area, or there could be dozens or even hundreds of individuals located in an encampment that spreads across a considerable swath of property. Eco Bear’s experienced cleaning team is prepared to clear the debris left from any type or size of homeless encampment in Agoura Hills.

Reasons for Homelessness in Agoura Hills

There are several reasons why homelessness is on the rise in Agoura Hills. The cost of living here is 194% of the average cost of living for the United States. In particular, housing costs 370.6% more in Agoura Hills than the average cost of housing across the nation. The lack of affordable housing is the leading reason why people are homeless here. Another reason is the lack of jobs that pay a living wage. Even if a person works two full-time jobs at minimum wage, they still can’t afford the rental costs of at typical one-bedroom apartment. The costs of transportation are 158% of the national average. Groceries are also more expensive in Agoura Hills compared to the rest of the United States.

What’s Hazardous in a Homeless Encampment

Homeless encampments don’t have plumbing or electrical systems. The occupants may create illegal splices or connections to utility poles or nearby structures. This creates a fire hazard and a risk of electrocution. The lack of sanitary sewers means that urine and feces may pile up on the site. The human waste attracts vermin and provides a place for E. coli, hepatitis A, salmonella, C. diff and other dangerous germs to thrive. If you have a cut in your skin or get a splash of the waste into your eyes, nose or mouth, you could get infected.

Sharp items may also be found in a homeless encampment. Knives for opening food and used syringes are two of the most common types of sharp items found on the ground and mixed into the debris of a homeless encampment. The used needles are of particular concern. They may contain leftover drugs or blood. Many infectious diseases can be spread through the blood in a syringe, including:

• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• HIV
• Malaria
• MRSA

Blood and body fluids are common hazards in homeless encampments. These biological hazards may contain infectious bacteria, parasites and viruses that cause serious or even deadly illnesses. Exposure to leftover drugs in syringes could poison you.

Dead pets and vermin may be in a homeless encampment. Pests are attracted to the feces, rotting food and other biological materials. A pest infestation of mice, rats, fleas, scabies, lice or bedbugs could affect all the debris. Without proper personal protective equipment, you could end up carrying these pests into your home.

Why It’s Not a Good Idea To Clean It Yourself

Cleaning these hazards requires full PPE, including face shields and masks, gloves, goggles, aprons and boots. Most people can’t access or don’t know how to properly use this PPE. It just takes one cut or puncture for you to end up with a lifelong infection. The volume of debris left in a large homeless encampment may be too much for you to handle. If the city of Agoura Hills gives you a cleanup deadline, trying to do it all yourself may be impossible. At Eco Bear, we have a large crew of trained cleaners who can clear an entire homeless encampment within one or two days.

How Eco Bear Cleans Agoura Hills Homeless Encampments

We visit the site in order to assess the hazards and size of the encampment. By the day of cleanup, we’ve handled the logistics of dumpster delivery and any necessary recycling or towing services. On the day of the cleanup, our crew arrives and puts on full PPE. We use proper disposal methods for biological and chemical hazards. Any biological or medical waste is properly disposed of by completely following California’s hazardous waste disposal protocols. We remove all debris, including contaminated items. The last step is remediation. We get rid of graffiti, dirt and dust and other substances. The property will be clean, safe and sanitary when we finish.

When To Call Eco Bear for Help

As soon as the homeless encampment occupants are dispersed by law enforcement, call us. We’ll quickly arrive on scene and start the Agoura Hills homeless encampment cleanup. We ensure that you’re in compliance with all health and building codes. Our cleaners protect your privacy and treat you with compassion and respect during this stressful time.