NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. — Residents say the encampment in North Fort Myers is becoming increasingly dirty and poses safety concerns for the neighborhood.
The encampment, located near Marx Drive between homes and a dried-up canal, has become a growing source of worry for residents.
Watch Fort Myers Community Correspondent Miyoshi Price's report:
Loree Brown, who has lived in Fort Myers for six years, says she recently noticed the encampment becoming increasingly unsanitary.
"I'm disgusted with how this area looks," Brown said.
Brown noticed the growing encampments in Suncoast, but she claimed that the one behind her home is new. She said she noticed it just this year and mentioned that it's only been a few months since it started to become home to people experiencing homelessness.
"It's not a good place to, you know, be camping out when there are people that live in the area, and I know that they're homeless, but that's not okay," Brown said.
Brown and her neighbors are particularly worried about drug use they've witnessed at the site. When asked if she had contacted law enforcement about the encampment, Brown confirmed she had.
"They didn't do anything about it," Brown said.
She added that authorities have not visited the site to assess the situation.
FOX 4's Miyoshi Price contacted the Lee County Sheriff's Office regarding this encampment. A public information officer responded that "Our Community Response Unit, along with 1st Precinct Command, has been made aware. They are working with county leaders to address the encampment concerns."
The Sheriff's Office also stated, "As for the use of drugs, we urge residents to call us to report suspicious activity."
Brown understands the challenges of homelessness firsthand, having experienced it herself in 2008.
"I stayed with friends, and when that didn't work out, I was under a bridge," Brown said.
However, she believes this situation presents different concerns, citing worries about trash accumulation, drug use, and the mental health of those living in the encampment.
"I'm just a concerned citizen who wants this to be cleared up," Brown said.
For Brown and her neighbors, the issue ultimately comes down to safety.
"This issue right here is getting out of hand. Something needs to be done about it," Brown said.
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