NOVEMBER 26, 2021, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A6
CAMP,
Continued from page A3
“A lot of people say, ‘Oh there’s home-
less people, let’s just dump it there and
make them look bad,’” said Tim. “Does it
look like we have time to bring couches
and stuff like that out here?”
Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 12 p.m.
10 a.m. has come and gone. An inmate
crew has been brought in to clean up
trash. ODOT has begun towing vehicles
but Sara, whose RV is located on the oppo-
site end of the camp, was told she still has
a couple of hours before the cleanup crew
reaches her. With the help of others, Sara
had been able to clear a path of escape for
her RV — which still won’t start.
I ask Sara where she'll go if she’s able
to move the RV. “I don’t know,” she says.
“Wherever I can park it.”
Matt Maceira, executive director at Be
Bold Street Ministries, says there’s a vari-
ety of factors that go into choosing a place
to camp, but most often it comes down to
wherever there’s room. Maceira struggled
with homelessness for 10 years before
starting Be Bold Street Ministries in 2014.
“I want to show others that there is
hope,” says Maceira.
Maceira walks around the camp to talk
with campers and off er a helping hand. He
leaves at one point, returning 30 minutes
later with a pair of size 11 sneakers for a
barefooted man. Maceira said Be Bold
Street Ministries tries to be present when-
ever people are being removed to help
with the transition.
“If people have to leave things, we want
to help them replace those belongings,”
Maceira says. “We also want to make sure
they have a safe place to sleep.”
Two of these location restorations
occurred in Marion County in the summer,
according to ODOT. Tim says that sweeps
are occurring more frequently and that
he’s heard that offi cials are “clearing out
Marion County.”
ODOT said in their statement that Nov.
2 and Nov. 17, they restored eight property
locations impacted by camping.
“We are responsible for property and
its management. We all know that there
are many reasons why people choose loca-
tions to camp,” said Beers-Seydel. “That’s
why we work closely with our community
service partners anytime people make the
choice to camp on ODOT properties.”
According to the city of Salem’s web-
site, the site restoration was a success.
“Indian School Road. On November
15, ODOT with Police and City crews,
cleaned the area including trash from ille-
gal dumping in the area,” reads an update
on the website’s “Tracking Progress on
Homelessness Eff orts” page.
A half-mile north of where the camp
was, 18 RVs and cars line Indian School
Road.
The cars sit parked a few feet from the
road. Passing cars veer into the left lane to
give them space. A school resource offi cer
with the Bureau of Indian Aff airs walks
along the precision of parked cars and
takes photos.
Many of the cars parked along the road
are the same as the ones at the camp last
week.
Sara’s RV is one.
Photo by JOEY CAPPELLETTI of Keizertimes
Monday, Nov. 22 at 12 p.m.
Every vehicle, piece of trash and
camper has been removed from the Indian
School Road lot. Fresh dirt has taken the
place of the campers. A metal gate ensures
that they won’t return anytime soon.
ODOT officials say the campers have blocked access to a private farm at times.
Photo by JOEY CAPPELLETTI of Keizertimes
Officers walk through the camp but didn't directly help with cleanup. An inmate crew was
brought in to help clear the area. Photo by JOEY CAPPELLETTI of Keizertimes
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