Tent City

The Problem

After each of us passing Tent City individually, we wanted to go out and help but didn’t know where to start. Ironically, Solid Waste & Morningstar had been having issues with residents of Tent City’s overflow along with maggots and rodents posing health risks to not only residents themselves, but to the greater city at large.

Roof Above gave over 200 tents to help those who were homeless in the winter and during COVID, many were left stranded, so this offered temporary relief, CEO of Roof Above, Liz Clasen-Kelly told us. But soon tents started to congregate and bunch on the entrances and walkways of Urban Ministries, Morningstar Storage and surrounding areas, interrupting work operations.

Overflow would get so bad, it started posing health risks to not only residents themselves but the greater city at large including sanitation workers who had to collect it. Maggots, rats and various insects under every soiled belonging gave workers and residents a tough question — do we throw out my only memory of mom or keep it and it potentially carry COVID droplets or other diseases?

After many complaints and arguments from all, CMPD pulled Revamp into a room with Solid Waste to see if there were more positive, community driven and non-enforcement ways to handle this situation

  • COVID restrictions made a lot of places close doors and lessened how many people they could serve, forcing more people on the streets

  • Although illegal, most business owners recognized the severity of the situation and gave grace versus ordering people to leave

  • Flexible, expert advice when you need it. Book hourly support across a range of topics—from planning to problem-solving. This focused consultation will help clarify your goals, map out next steps, and identify opportunities for growth.

  • Item description

  • Flexible, expert advice when you need it. Book hourly support across a range of topics—from planning to problem-solving. This focused consultation will help clarify your goals, map out next steps, and identify opportunities for growth.

  • Item description

Our Solution

Revamp agreed to clean Tent City with stipulations due to nearby businesses and residents complaints and unwillingness to engage with the encampment. But instead of only cleaning, we wanted to help mobilize people out of their situations and see what they needed one-by-one.

An hour on Saturdays we’d not only organize volunteers and cleaners, but bring donated items collected throughout the week. Morningstar Stoage would give us a free rental space as a thank you for seeing the area clean which allowed for seamless donation distribution.

  • By researching and interviewing decision-makers from state and county levels down, we captured the full scope and nuances of issues often overlooked.

  • We interviewed every resident of the tent city to understand their individual needs, carefully noting details for each client and tracking their progress over time.

  • Clean and sanitize walkways, soiled belongings and remove debris that residents and workers complain about by contacting owners and arranging removal

  • Diversion and processing with residents of the encampment when the ideas of leaving, finding employment seems out of reach

  • Helping purchase birth certificates and licenses as for many, this was the only barrier between employment and improving their situation

  • Gather all nonprofits, grassroots organizations & decision makers involved to produce consistent and responsive action to resident complaints & needs