Nick Zurowski often sleeps with one eye open these days, or at least has someone keep watch on the camp overnight.

When you live in the outdoors with only a blue tarp over your head, anything can happen. And it did earlier this month: Zurowski, 50, and three family members found themselves woken by Abbotsford city officials toting a truckload of chicken manure.

“The city workers came and said ‘we’re going to make it very unpleasant for you around here … so you’d better get your bedrolls up and get out of here,’” Zurowski said.

The group fled to a spot down the road. But such a situation is becoming indicative of the growing tensions between residents and the homeless as the suburbs transform from rural communities to major urban centres. As more homeless move from forested camps to busy roadsides like Abbotsford’s Gladys Avenue, complaints from residents and businesses also increase.

Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman insists that while he doesn’t condone the decision, which is being investigated as part of an internal review, he can partly understand it, saying “it’s largely complaint driven.

“Imagine if this was your neighbourhood — one woman woke up and found people sleeping in her yard,” Banman said. “I had a grandmother crying in my office because her family won’t come and visit anymore because they’re scared.

“You’ve got these people pleading with us to ‘please restore our neighbourhood. Can you not find a place for these people to live?’”

Pastor Ward Draper of the 5 and 2 church Ministries estimates there are about 200 homeless in Abbotsford, who are finding themselves “bounced around” as the complaints catch up to them.

“The biggest complaint is garbage, which is an ongoing struggle,” Draper said. “If you know you’re going to be kicked out in three to five days, there’s no pride of ownership. When you’re trying hard to find a place to go to the bathroom, do laundry or take a nap, the last thing you want to think about is housework.”

Most residents contacted in the neighbourhood refused to comment on the situation, but one acknowledged that the camps, littered with clothing and overstuffed shopping carts, were a nuisance in the neighbourhood.

Mike Murphy, an electrical engineer who runs an office on Gladys Avenue, a stone’s throw from Zurowski’s camp, was more blunt. “Get rid of the bums,” he said. “They’re annoying, they’re dirty and there are too many young people for my liking.”

But engineer Peter Kiddie, who regularly walks past the camp, has no complaints. “I haven’t noticed them causing any great problems,” he said.

Both Draper and Banman maintain the situation has become a global pandemic, extending from tiny hamlets to major cities across the world.

“You’re always going to have homeless, but how do you deal with it?” Draper said.

Abbotsford Police this week announced they are internally investigating allegations that some of their officers pepper-sprayed another homeless camp.

Police heard about the allegations through a third party and have yet to have an official complaint, said Const. Ian MacDonald. They also don’t know where the incident allegedly occurred, he said, nor have they spoken with Denise Eremenko, a 35-year-old self-described heroin addict who was apparently running the camp.