PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Springwater Corridor homeowners and the homeless campers living along the trail vented their frustrations before a “Stand Your Ground” meeting Sunday night.

Portland Mayor Charlie Hales has said that all homeless campers will need to be out of the Springwater Corridor by August 1, but some are saying they won’t go.

Heated discussions between some homeowners & homeless advocates can be overheard in the crowd #koin6news pic.twitter.com/vrwS9LyTKc— Jennifer Dowling (@JenDowlingKoin6) July 25, 2016

Tenants United organized the meeting in a field off the trail. They say if people want to stay after August 1, they will consider helping them.

James Jones and Valerie Kellar plan to stay, hoping others understand they aren’t causing problems and have nowhere else to go.

“It’s our right to have a place to stay until we get our VA housing,” Kellar said.

“I don’t go out and commit armed robberies or deal drugs, none of that stuff,” Jones said.

The Vietnam War veteran says he’s not concerned about being forcibly removed.

“I’m 69, I’m half blind, I have a bad heart,” Jones said. “Go ahead, taze me officer, please.”

Neighbors in the area have been protesting the campers there, reporting crimes and overflowing trash for months.

One homeowner, who didn’t want to be identified, said she stepped on a needle someone threw onto her porch this morning. She broke into tears telling KOIN 6 News her story.

“This isn’t their ground to stand on. They shouldn’t be here. It’s an environmental disaster,” she said.

“All these advocates are here for the homeless, but there is no one here for us,” she said. “I hate my life. I hate my house. I don’t want to live here anymore.”

Karen Archer, who has lived there for 35 years, says the homeless have taken over the neighborhood. While she was out protesting, someone stole her pet duck from her fenced-in yard.

During the meeting a Tenants United member asked media to leave the meeting area, physically blocking KOIN cameras from the public gathering.

“You guys have cameras that are going to broadcast this meeting to the rest of the world,” said Matt, with Tenants United. “I think they deserve to have a meeting where they can air their grievances and not be recorded.”

“Freedom of speech has its limitations.” Portland Tenants Utd. bars media from Springwater Trail mtg. #pdx #KOIN6 – pic.twitter.com/NpAz3GICyd— Jonathan Simmons (@JSimmonsPDX) July 25, 2016