A Central Valley Caltrans crew praised themselves for a so-called homeless encampment cleanup that has been slammed by locals who stated the job was solely half accomplished.
The submit was made by California Division of Transportation District 6 situated in Fresno, and features a earlier than and after shot of an encampment stuffed with trash and particles within the metropolis. It was shared each on X and Caltrans Fb accounts.
“Caltrans eliminated an encampment on June sixteenth situated on State Route 180 close to Abby Avenue in Fresno,” the submit learn.
“Throughout their work, Caltrans crews collected 2.5 cubic yards of particles. Affected people had been supplied companies by our outreach companions.”
The highest picture exhibits the spot situated close to a residential space affected by buying carts, a mattress, blankets, garments and trash. The world additionally incorporates tons of graffiti on the partitions and dry brush.
The second picture exhibits that the carts, bedding, and garments have been eliminated. Nevertheless, the large graffiti wall remains to be there and has not been painted over and not one of the dry grass space has been cleaned up.
In response locals have reacted to the pat on the again submit, calling it “tone deaf.”
“Whereas the clear up is appreciated, the self-congratulatory picture with dry grass and in depth graffiti comes throughout as completely tone deaf,” one native advised Caltrans in a message shared with The California Submit.
“Please wait to pat yourselves on the again till the world is definitely clear.”
“The slogan is Clear California, not Considerably Clear California,” the particular person added. “Pleased Friday, have an ideal day, recognize your arduous work.”
Reactions to the FB celebratory submit had been comparable, with individuals sharing laughing face emojis to the submit exhibiting the world positively not cleaned up.
It wasn’t the one time the company touted their cleanup in an space that wasn’t full.
In a submit on June 11, Caltrans District 6 posted concerning the elimination of one other encampment on June ninth close to Freeway 41 and Olive Avenue within the metropolis.
“Throughout their work, Caltrans crews collected 4 cubic yards of particles. Affected people had been supplied companies by our outreach companions.”
The earlier than picture exhibits tons of tents, home equipment, containers and garments in an space subsequent to a wall coated in spray paint and dry grass.
The after picture exhibits the enormous graffiti wall and dry brush in every single place, calling into query as soon as once more simply how cleaned up this space had been.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer has confronted some pushback currently after touting town’s dealing with of the homeless downside.
Throughout a current press convention, Dyer stated there have been “zero encampments within the metropolis of Fresno,” whereas admitting that the issue has but to be utterly solved, the Fresno Bee reported.
Obtain The California Submit App, comply with us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Submit Information: Fb, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Submit Sports activities Fb, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Submit Opinion
California Submit Newsletters: Enroll right here!
California Submit App: Obtain right here!
Residence supply: Enroll right here!
Web page Six Hollywood: Enroll right here!
He went on to elucidate that town defines an encampment as “10 or extra individuals staying in a location for 10 or extra days.”
However the declare is deceptive, stated homeless advocate Dez Martinez.
“What issues me most is the message being despatched to the general public,” Martinez advised the Bee.
“When officers say there are not any encampments, it creates the impression that homelessness is being solved when many individuals on the bottom know that’s not the case.”
Residents in Fresno additionally reacted to Dyer’s “zero encampments” remark.
“We’d like a brand new Mayor. If the job can’t be performed by the present one,” one particular person wrote on Fb.
“Main audit wanted in California and each metropolis. Fresno has failed and tax funds have been wasted…or stolen,” one other particular person wrote.
The numbers present that in Fresno-Madera Counties there was a 9.2% enhance in homelessness in 2025. Nevertheless, Dyer stated preliminary information exhibits it’s lowering this yr.
Preliminary 2026 numbers from metropolis officers confirmed 3,250 homeless in comparison with the final rely in 2023 of 4,905 unhoused/sheltered within the two counties, per a metropolis report.
The California Submit reached out to Cal Trans within the Central Valley for additional remark.
