A homeless encampment that stretched for about a half-mile under a freeway overpass was cleared out Wednesday morning in Long Beach.
About two dozen people, some with pets, lived at the encampment under the 710 and 91 freeway interchange and along a nearby path. Crews with the state and Caltrans hauled items out of the area early Wednesday in an effort that was part of Gov. Newsom’s SAFE program.
The program aims to clean clear homeless encampments from state-owned land, like the area near the freeway. People living at the encampment were offered services and transported to the former Luxury Inn building, which was converted to provide interim housing.
The units opened in October and can house a bout 80 people.
“We are giving the people in this encampment the care and compassion they need,” said Lauren Wondera Caltrans spokesperson.
Caltrans plans to install deterrent measures, like large boulders, to deter a repopulation of the area.
In September, the task force cleared an encampment off the 110 freeway in South Los Angeles.