By: PAUL SISSON - Staff Writer

OCEANSIDE ---- Workers discovered several homeless camps in the San Luis Rey River bed while removing dense stands of giant reeds this week. A crew of five workers from Rancho Del Oro Landscape Maintenance worked Friday to haul several truckloads of trash from a large encampment that was discovered just west of the Murray Bridge, which carries College Boulevard over the river to join with North River Road.

"We have been out here for three days," said Alejandro Perez, a worker with the company as he carried an armload of debris through mowed-down reeds. "We have been taking out between four and six truckloads every day. These people have probably been living out here for about two years."

The Army Corps of Engineers ordered the clearing effort in advance of a much more comprehensive push to remove overgrowth from the river's flood control channel before it causes a flood.

The remains of the encampment were still visible. A pen, fenced with chain link, stood on the western edge of a clearing deep inside a stand of reeds, its contents long gone. Nearby, the blackened remains of a campfire, with forks, cooking pans and a blackened pair of barbecue tongs pressed into the soft riverbed dirt by the passage of so many feet.

Dozens of bicycles sat in a mangled mess, ready to be hauled away. There were plastic chairs, a mattress, compact discs ... everything indicates that this had been a home for a long time.

Perez said workers discovered the camp and three inhabitants Tuesday.

"Two, a boy and a girl, they sent home," Perez said. "Another boy they took to jail."

On Friday, the Oceanside Police Department could not provide information on exactly who was arrested at the camp, though one officer, who would not provide his first name, said that the city's Code Enforcement Department regularly discovers camps throughout the densely overgrown riverbed.

"We're out there every week," he said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began emergency clearing efforts in the riverbed this week, after the Oceanside City Council threatened to begin its own clearing efforts without permits if the Corps did not act.

In a letter mailed in September, the Corps' Los Angeles office warned that overgrowth in the flood channel could pose a serious flooding risk to Oceanside residents living in the San Luis Rey River Valley if it is not removed.

However, because the river is home to several endangered birds, the Corps said it could not begin a major clearing effort in the riverbed until it finishes a 20-day environmental comment period.

Jason Giessow, of the Encinitas-based Dendra Inc., is in charge of the clearing effort.

He said Friday that several homeless camps had been discovered in recent days.

"Down by Foussat and Benet (roads) you could see (evidence of recent) campfires," Giessow said.

He added that crews had already removed about 10 of the 30 acres of giant reeds that were slated for removal by the Corps. He said he was optimistic that the remaining 20 acres could be eliminated in less than the three weeks originally anticipated.

"I think, based on how it's going, that we could have it done next week," he said.

The Corps was also due to provide a written emergency response plan to the city of Oceanside on Friday. Because the Corps said it cannot undertake a 125-foot-wide clearing effort until mid- to late January, the Oceanside City Council asked the federal agency to provide solid details on how it would clear the riverbed if heavy rain suddenly appeared in the forecast.

Jay Field, a spokesman for the Corps in Los Angeles, said Friday that the plan would be forwarded to Mayor Jim Wood's office Friday afternoon even though city offices were closed. But he declined to release the plan to the public.

"I'm not going to release it until the city's had a chance to look at it first," Field said.

Contact staff writer Paul Sisson at (760) 901-4087 or [email protected].

Comments On This Story

Rockbobster wrote on December 17, 2005 10:43 PM:"I travel regularly up and down the I-5 between this area and Oregon. Over the last 3 years I have seen camps like this spring up many places that have not had them in the past, near Sacramento, Grants Pass, Eugene and Salem. Each "Bushville" I have walked through is loaded with trash. These guys do not follow the cardinal rule of camping; pack it in, pack it out."

TW wrote on December 17, 2005 5:15 PM:"OK, how many homeless people do you take in your house every week. Most of these people are homeless because of substance abuse and being lazy. They commit crimes against those of us that work for a living. There are plenty of places for free loaders to take shelter at tax payers expense. They also creat a big enviormental mess, who many homeless bums have you seen keep a clean "house". "

Myra wrote on December 17, 2005 2:16 PM:"Now that I hear about these camps, I wonder "Is it safe to bike ride around this area?" "

Moto wrote on December 17, 2005 1:37 PM:"OK great point. No the solution. March your ass out of costco right now and open up your home for these folks until they can find permanent housing. Understand this...It is a priviledge to work here for $$ for food, shelter and clothing. Become marketable, learn to speak English, get a work visa if needed and build your life here. But dont sit in a riverbed full of sand and expect a handout."

Curtis wrote on December 17, 2005 9:12 AM:"If they can haul all that stuff in there, they could at least haul their garbage out and bury their waste. I have seen many of these camps up close. Often times the outside edges of theses camps have piles of discarded toliet paper. I don't mind if people come here to work, but they need to respect the land. There is nothing wrong with living in a tent. I once spent a summer living in one. If you want someone to give them a place to live, then go invite them to live with you!"

Buck wrote on December 17, 2005 8:35 AM:"Adrian, you are a goof and obviously one of the enemy with in. You hate this country and find liberty offensive. Those so called homeless camps are in reality illegal mexican bases. Insurgents if you will. if the NCT would actually "report" the news instead of being instrument of politicaly correctness, people, and goofs like yourself could receive correct information to process. NCT might even increase their dwindling circulation by reporting the truthful facts. It is not Governments job to provide shelter. That is individual responsibility. But then you never read your Constitution, certainly the O'side city council does not"

Britt wrote on December 17, 2005 8:10 AM:"The Homeless are a real problem. Not just for our community, but for many others as well. But an even worse problem is people, such as Adrian, who complain and complain, yet offer no probable solutions. It is not the job of the Police to take care of the homeless; they are charged with protecting our community which is riddled with violence and child molesters. Nor is it City Councel's job; they need to run the city, making it a good place for businesses to flourish while keeping my property values up. No one is forcing the homeless to stay here where the cost of living is very high. There are many other places where it is far less expensive to live. I do not have any suggestions for the homeless issue, but I know that I do not want to see the majority of my tax dollars being thrown at this problem. And for people such as Adrian, I say this: "If you see a problem, offer a solution to fix it. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut!""

Miguel wrote on December 17, 2005 8:02 AM:"I use that trail several times a week and have seen bums living under there for years. My wife has been harrassed by them to the point she won't ride her bike on the trail without me. Trust me when I say those people do NOT pay taxes! Like the overwhelming majority of bums, they clearly have problems with drugs and alcohol. Throwing money at them won't solve a thing....they are likely there by choice. They are hard-core bums, they're not there because some "evil" landlord upped the rent $100."

wwjd wrote on December 17, 2005 7:05 AM:"I am reading this early in the morning and something stood out. They are holding back clearing because of an endangered species and yet have no problem clearing the people out. Surely God values people more than animals. May God have mercy on us."

Adrian wrote on December 17, 2005 4:15 AM:"I wonder why the police, knowing those camps were there, they knowingly go there every week as the taxpayed official, who is accountable for his actions, said, did nothing to help the people living in those camps. These people were/are not living there for nothing, they are HOMELESS, and there's a reason for that.... volontairily or forced by actions by house-owenrs, huge rent-prices whatever. Should hese people not receive help, assistance from city-council? They are members of the community and pay or have payed taxes to the community! A dsigrace that people are one way or the other forced to live in riverbank-side camps!"

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