BEAUMONT, Texas — A day after we reported about groups of people gathering under the overpass of I-10 and College Street, people are gone.
Where they went remains a mystery. 12News followed up with the City of Beaumont Friday, but they didn't have an explanation.
Beaumont City Councilman Mike Getz believes some of the people were professional panhandlers. Others were appeared to be experiencing homelessness.
Regardless, there's a turf war brewing over that piece of property and who should enforce new state law.
The city said the Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for the overpass under I-10, but TxDOT representatives said they are not an enforcement agency.
We've all seen the growing groups under I-10 overpasses, particularly along College Street.
“I guess you would call it the overpass, under freeways, and it has created some issues as it relates to community safety, community decency,” said Texas Representative James White (R-Hillister).
As of Friday, those groups are gone. House Bill 1925 went into effect on Wednesday, which bans homeless encampments on public property in Texas.
At Thursday’s city council meeting, Getz stated this underpass belongs to the state.
"I’m going to reach out to TxDOT me, our local engineer, and ask that they put up some no trespass signs at their locations so that our police would have the authority," Getz said.
White said Getz is spot on.
“That is the state's right of way. Partially not just ideally that is a responsibility of the state. That's the state of Texas in particularly TXDOT,” White said.
TxDOT Spokesperson Sarah Durpe told 12News Friday, "State right of way is open to the public. In cases where TxDOT needs to clear portions of the state right of way for safety purposes, TxDOT requests local or state law enforcement to assist."
According to the new law, it is TxDOT’s responsibility to control growing groups under overpasses. Law enforcement is required to direct groups to medical or mental health services before writing a ticket.
The back and forth battle of who is responsible for this property bring concerns to leaders.
“We've got to start tackling this issue of homelessness in a more constructive targeted way,” Getz said.
Councilman Getz shared with 12News earlier this week new homeless shelters near downtown Beaumont are being worked on and should be open by the end of the year.