- Residents at the Larch Street encampment and the Back 40 may be asked to leave.
- Lansing police tell us owners of both properties, submitted trespassing letters. LPD, emphasized they are not spearheading the effort to get people to leave the encampments. However, they did say they’ll send out a social worker to try and provide those in need with resources and notify them about the trespassing letters from the owners.
- Watch video above to hear how residents living at the encampments are reacting.
Encampments in Lansing - a controversial topic that has sparked up quite the conversation. The two sites getting the most recent buzz are the Larch Street encampment and the Back 40, about a quarter mile away.
“I've been in the Back 40 for about 3 months now,” Fransisco Lee said.
Lee said this will be the 4th Lansing encampment he's lived at with his cousin.
“We just try and make it easier for those people who have to be here,” Lee said. “Thats why we're here and if we’re not here, they feel like its an unsafe place for them to be.”
But now Lee and others at these encampments, may be asked to leave soon. Lansing police said owners of both properties, submitted trespassing letters.
Photos from the Homeless Encampments, The Back 40 and The Larch Street Encampment...Both encampments may be shut down...Tonight on @FOX47News find out why. pic.twitter.com/kd8kzUun8G
— Larry Wallace (@larryjournalism) September 17, 2024
“All of this is just inappropriate and its unacceptable,” said Community Advocate Khadja Erickson.
Erickson does boots on the ground work for the unhoused population, and says the solution to this is simple.
“What I think we need and not just in Lansing are compassionate encampments,” Erickson said. “What these are, are designated areas that people go to who need them and whats great is these also come a long with wrap around services for these residents.”
LPD, emphasized they are not spearheading the effort to get people to leave and said they'll send out a social worker to try and provide those in need with resources and notify them about the trespassing letters.
Meanwhile, residents like lee are already prepared, in case they are forced to leave.
We reached out to the owners of the properties for this story, but did not hear anything back.
