When you discover a homeless encampment on your private property in Seal Beach, CA, you may be concerned about your safety, the safety of the homeless people, the value of your property and the risk of criminal activity associated with the encampment. Homeless encampments are gatherings of more than one person or family with temporary shelters on a property. A homeless encampment is not just an eyesore. It presents a serious risk of harm and the potential for spreading infectious diseases, more damage from pests and widespread criminal activity. Eco Bear is a women- and veteran-led professional cleaning company in Seal Beach. We offer homeless encampment cleaning services so that your property can be cleared of the debris accumulated by the homeless occupants.
Hazards Associated With Homeless Encampments
There are many types of hazards associated with homeless encampments in Seal Beach. One of the most common types of hazards is biological. A biological hazard includes blood, body fluids and tissue. Biological hazards could contain germs that cause infectious diseases, such as hepatitis A, B or C. They could also contain C. diff, E. coli, influenza, tuberculosis, fleas, lice and more.
Homeless encampments lack plumbing, so there’s usually large amounts of human waste. Vomit and blood may also be present. Items contaminated with human waste, blood and vomit are common in homeless encampments.
Some homeless people suffer from alcohol or substance abuse. The homeless encampment could contain illegal drugs, prescription drugs, marijuana, alcohol and unknown pills and drugs. Drug paraphernalia, including needles, cotton, spoons and more may be part of what’s left in the homeless encampment.
Pests are attracted to these sites, too. Mice, rats, raccoons, flies, cockroaches and poisonous snakes and spiders are just a few of the common pests we encounter when cleaning homeless encampments.
Sometimes, homeless people have pets and bring them to their encampment. The sub-optimal living conditions in homeless encampments often lead to the deaths of these pets. The deceased animals are rarely removed for proper burial, so there may be pet remains left behind. Our cleaning team properly removes deceased animals from the homeless encampment.
We occasionally find live pets left behind at homeless encampment sites. When we do, we work with the local Humane Society and animal control agents for safe removal of the pets. Newborn kittens and puppies are often found near and in homeless encampments because the homeless people can’t afford proper veterinary care for their animals. We search in and around the area to make sure there aren’t any hidden litters of baby pets.
How a Homeless Encampment Impacts Your Neighborhood
Homeless encampments have a big impact on your property and neighborhood. You may be afraid to go outside. Your property is also at risk of vandalism, burglary and robbery because homeless people have no resources for income. They may break in searching for cash, items to sell or drugs to use.
The presence of a homeless encampment in the neighborhood lowers property values. On a commercial property, customers may be afraid to visit if they fear for their safety. They may not want to deal with people asking them for money. Your business could be burglarized or vandalized by the residents of a homeless encampment.
Why Eco Bear’s Homeless Encampment Cleaning Services Are Critical
Most people don’t have the training to safely remove all the hazards in a homeless encampment. The cleanup process could take a long time if you tried to do it by yourself. However, our skilled cleaning team takes care of large hazards in a short period of time. We have proper personal protective equipment to safely work in hazardous conditions. Our cleaners wear masks or face shields, goggles, gloves, boots and aprons or hazard suits. A typical property owner also lacks the hospital-grade cleaning agents necessary for disinfection of a homeless encampment.
We have the correct equipment to safely handle and bag needles, drug paraphernalia and other dangerous items. We also work with law enforcement if we find illegal drugs or weapons in the homeless encampment. Our services help restore your property value, make peace with your neighbors, save your time and protect your investment.
How We Clean Homeless Encampments
At Eco Bear, we use a four-step process for homeless encampment cleaning in Seal Beach. The first step is the cleanup. This involves removing the items strewn about the site. We collect and remove tents, clothing, papers, chairs, shopping carts and more.
The second step is identifying items that may contain biological hazards. Biological hazards include blood, urine, feces and other body fluids. These items must be bagged in specific biohazard bags and incinerated according to California’s public health and safety standards.
The third step of our process is sanitizing. We use professional-grade cleaning agents to disinfect surfaces, including paths, asphalt, concrete, metal signs, structures and fences.
The last step is remediation of the site. We restore the area of the homeless encampment so that it’s clean and usable. There will be no signs that a homeless encampment was ever on the property. At this time, you might choose to install a fence, gate or other security measures to prevent the homeless people from returning.
What Makes Eco Bear the Right Choice for Homeless Encampment Cleaning in Seal Beach
We offer a quick response when you need the site of a homeless encampment cleaned. Our company is licensed and bonded to remove homeless encampments and fully restore your private property. Our professional cleaners are fully trained in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Public Health Department procedures. We use personal protective equipment to keep our cleaners safe. We give you peace of mind knowing that your property is clean, safe and no longer hazardous.