Workers pick up 430 tons of trash from Kansas River homeless camps in Topeka

TOPEKA (KSNT) - City workers in Topeka are capping off another busy phase of their ongoing efforts to enforce a new abatement on camping along the Kansas River.

27 News reached out to the City of Topeka for an update on the cleanup efforts which got started earlier this year. City spokeswoman Rosie Nichols said in a written statement that crews have now cleared hundreds of tons of garbage and trash from the riverbank as the new camping abatement is enforced.

Nichols provided 27 News with the latest statistics on how many pounds of trash have been cleared during each phase of the abatement along the river. A breakdown of these numbers can be found below:

• Phase One - 177.88 tons/355,760 pounds.
• Phase Two(a) - 61.79 tons/123,580 pounds.
• Phase Two(b) - 192.99 tons/385,980 pounds.
• Total - 432.66 tons/865,320 pounds

City workers plan to return to the riverbank for phase three of the abatement process to clear additional homeless camps along the riverbank. However, no date is set for the operation.

Nichols said City of Topeka Water Pollution Control has logged a total of 267 hours of work so far in the first two phases of the abatement process as they work to clear the encampments. The Topeka Police Department (TPD) has also put in 291 hours of service during these phases assisting city crews.

"The city is continuing, on a case-by-case basis, to enforce the camping ordinance and abate properties in violation of Topeka Municipal Code across the city," Nichols said in a written statement. "We are also continuing to work collaboratively between Housing Services, TPD’s Behavioral Health Unit and our community partners to assist individuals impacted and get them connected to the resources they need."

Around 20-22 homeless individuals will be or have been impacted by these enforcement efforts thus far. A recent head count of the city's homeless population, the results of which were released on May 31, shows homelessness is increasing with the current number placed at 537 individuals and 442 households.

The City of Topeka's new camping ordinance, found in 9.45.360 and 9.45.350 of the city's municipal codes, places several restrictions on camping activities in city limits which are being enforced in a 'phased approach' by local leadership. Restrictions include the following:

• No camping within 500 feet of the centerline of any trail.
• No camping within 50 feet of the centerline of any sidewalk inside city limits.
• No camping within a levee-critical zone.

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