City leaders looking to clean up homeless encampment on Ormond Beach
Oxnard city leaders are taking action to clean up a stretch of beach that is currently covered in a huge homeless encampment.
"This is most likely the most polluted beach in California," said Port Hueneme City Councilman Steven Gama.
He's talking about Ormond Beach, which borders his city and has many residents, including himself, fed up with the constant litter in the area.
"It's plagued with vagrancy and trash," Gama said, talking about the endless amounts of trash and debris that have been polluting the ocean water for years, keeping visitors from heading to the area.
"We all need to take responsibility," he said. The county, the city of Oxnard, in Port Hueneme, Surfrider, Coastal Keepers. We all need to work together to maintain this environmental jewel."
He says that part of the problem is a lack of temporary housing in the area for those looking.
"There's nowhere else to go," said Peter Santos, who has lived in the area on and off for the last five years. "There's about 30 people still out here."
The city of Oxnard has already taken action in the area, cleaning up 205 tons of debris last November and working to find shelter services for 50 people. However, many have since returned to the area, once again contributing to the growing problem.
Aerial footage from last October shows the massive encampment, which sported even more tents and even a makeshift bridge that led out to a floating island full of debris.
"This is a lot better than it used to be," Gama said, motioning at the stretches of beach that are now visible.
But still, residents are hopeful that the area can be cleaned to the point that it can be enjoyed year round.
"Unfortunately, you can see mattresses floating and other kinds of things with the tide comes in and then, obviously, there's just lots of people where you can see where all of their stuff is," said Melanie Chapman, who lives nearby in Port Hueneme.
Gama is hopeful that new steps can draw attention to the area previously out of the public eye for years.
