PORT ARTHUR, Texas — A Port Arthur homeless encampment is experiencing another crackdown after people who were living at a site off Twin City Highway near Highway 73 were told they have to move.
Port Arthur Police have issued trespassing warnings and told the people living there to clear the camp. This encampment is not far from another site that the city cleared out in December 2023.
Police Chief Tim Duriso tells 12News both this and the December crackdown happened because landowners complained about people trespassing on their property.
Several occupants of the encampment say all they can do is move on to another area.
"We all got trespassing warnings and we have until midnight tonight," said Chris Williams, who has been living at the encampment, located in the 4700 block of Twin City, for three months.
Chief Duriso tells 12News that people received trespassing warnings, but there's no deadline at this point to force them to move.
Williams began living at the encampment after being forced to move from his original camp near the Walmart Supercenter.
"We don't even know where to begin to look," he said.
According to Williams and other occupants, the landowner put up "no trespassing" signs Friday morning.
Pastor Keith Richard has been on the forefront of helping those experiencing homelessness in Port Arthur.
"They were telling me that this landowner wanted them moved today and I'm like come on, where are they going to go? What are they going to do?" he said.
Richard believes city leaders aren't pulling their weight, to curb the homeless epidemic.
"If they city can build a $7 million animal shelter, why can't you do something to help a human?" said Richard.
The Port Arthur Homeless Coalition was a program launched by Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie in 2022. In December 2023, Port Arthur Councilwoman Doneane Beckcom told 12News, the coalition hadn't even been meeting.
"I was told by a member of that coalition that they haven't met at all in 2023," Beckcom previously told 12News.
Mayor Bartie confirmed what Beckcom previously said. He says the coalition is "not functioning."
He says he empathizes with those experiencing homelessness, but recognizes the reality of the situation.
"If they move the way that they move in other cities, they're just going to find some other area to go to," he said.
Occupants of this encampment say they just want to be treated like human beings.
"We're going to attempt to get things done but there's no way we can," Williams said.
Duriso says while there's no deadline for people to move, their time is running out. He says the owner wants to sell the land and needs the encampment cleared.