The topic of homelessness is both difficult to discuss and complicated to address. Though the causes of homelessness are largely understood, these issues are difficult to work through, meaning that homelessness persists, in various forms, in cities all across the nation and world. When thinking of homelessness, it’s important to think of the faces behind the statistics. Though it can be easy to overlook these individuals since they are largely powerless, the struggles they face are serious and ongoing. 

One of the most significant struggles that homeless individuals face is the undesirable conditions at homeless encampments. Though no one with any type of resources would ever subject themselves to the conditions that homeless people face, the fact is that these conditions are a reality for hundreds of thousands of people nationwide. 

Therefore, to protect the health of the homeless population and the population at large, it’s important that homeless encampments are cleaned out from time to time. This complex and potentially dangerous process should only be handled by a homeless encampment cleaning company in Coachella, California.

Why Do Conditions Deteriorate?

It’s important to understand that homeless individuals don’t choose to live in squalid conditions in homeless encampments. You can be sure they see the filth and smell the foul odors just the same as you do. For the most part, homeless individuals are also aware of the health risks associated with living in such conditions. However, because of the difficult situations they find themselves in, they push forward, hoping to one day improve their lives. 

Part of living in a homeless encampment means keeping a low profile. One of the biggest struggles that homeless individuals face is the fear of the unknown. In their minds, if their homeless encampment is discovered, they will lose all that they have and have nowhere else to turn. That’s why they go to extremes to keep their camps self-contained, which includes allowing the conditions in their camp to become unsanitary to the point that a homeless encampment cleaning company in Coachella, California, is necessary to assist with the cleanup.

Since activities such as using public restrooms, throwing away trash, and doing other normal personal hygiene tasks could bring unnecessary attention to the encampment, homeless individuals often choose to let human excrement, trash, and other waste build up around their camp. While this protects their anonymity and potentially their small amount of security, it does nothing to protect their health.

Reasons for Cleaning

A city should not take lightly the decision to remove a homeless encampment. There are some situations, though, which make removing a homeless encampment necessary.

For example, if a homeless encampment is located near city streets, the waste buildup in the encampment could eventually lead to polluted run-off that flows to the city sewers. Ultimately, this run-off could end up in local waterways, causing major pollution issues. If the waste in an encampment has become this serious, it’s usually time to clear out the camp and bring in a homeless encampment cleaning company in Coachella, California.

Another reason to clear out a camp is if the conditions in the camp are threatening the health of its residents. If one or more individuals come down with an infectious disease as a result of living in the camp, cleaning the camp, though difficult for its residents, will ultimately prove vital to their long-term well-being.

The safety of camp residents could also be endangered if developments are planned for the site of their camp. For example, many homeless encampments are located in wooded areas to take advantage of the natural protection of the surrounding trees. Since open space near cities is often hard to come by, these wooded areas often come up for development. 

To protect the safety of the encampment residents, it’s important to compassionately but efficiently remove the camp so that the residents aren’t harmed during construction. Once the residents have left, it’s a good idea to bring in a homeless encampment cleaning company in Coachella, California, to clean the area to prevent any possible risks to construction workers.

Potential Challenges and Hazards

To be sure, removing and cleaning a homeless encampment is rarely a straightforward process. In many cases, the residents of the encampment will protest the camp removal, sometimes lashing out in violent ways. 

For law enforcement, cleaning companies, and onlookers, it’s important to remember that for many of the encampment residents, this camp is the only bit of security and dignity they have in their lives. Therefore, compassion should be exercised as much as possible so that camp residents can be assisted to help them overcome their current situation.

In addition to the residents of the camp protesting, there may be protests from other citizens of the city who disagree with the removal of the camp. By working together with civic leaders, first responders, and other parties with a stake in the city, the process should go much more smoothly so that a homeless encampment cleaning company in Coachella, California, can be brought in without incident.

Another challenge of cleaning a homeless encampment is the sheer volume of items that are likely to be left behind by its former residents. A homeless encampment cleaning company in Coachella, California, needs to have the right tools to move a large amount of trash and to dispose of it properly. Given that the trash is often contaminated with potential biological hazards, this can be a difficult task.

Beyond these challenges, there are also hazards that a cleaning company can face while at a homeless encampment. Exposed nails, splintered wood, broken glass, animal remains, human excrement, and a host of other unsavory items can all be found in a homeless encampment. These realities make it crucial that technicians from a homeless encampment cleaning company in Coachella, California, wear the proper personal protective equipment at all times to ensure that the job can be completed quickly and safely.