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Lee said the city has sent bylaw officers and cleaned up the encampments in response to locals’ reports, but he’s concerned about how safe they are. Particularly, he wonders what will happen if there is a medical emergency inside one of the tents and emergency responders are unaware or unable to access the person in distress.

He wants the city to find the residents somewhere better to live and offered two solutions.

“One is to recognize there is a housing problem in Richmond and give them proper housing that meets the human needs,” he said.

“If they can’t do that, let them set up tents on the other side (of the Queensborough Connector) over there, and provide them with some basic services.”

Those services would include a portable toilet, water fountain and a garbage can. He believes his proposed alternative site, near a dog park, would be easier to access.

The person living inside the tent declined to speak with Postmedia News on Sunday. They offered an apology through their closed tent flap, saying they felt sick and unprepared to host guests.

Angela Ellis, a mother of two who works in education and lives on Oliver Drive, is the administrator for the Hamilton Facebook group.

Some members of the group have reported a recent increase of suspicious or criminal activity including car break-ins, attempted property theft and strangers poking around their backyards. Some have posted photos of people caught by security cameras.