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Tent city off of Admiral Wilson Blvd in Camden. (Staff Photo by Tim Hawk/South Jersey Times)

CAMDEN — With reports surfacing of renewed efforts by the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to clear out homeless tent cities on its property in the city, police officials and homeless advocates alike reiterated the challenges associated with trying to help those living there.

According to the Volunteers of America (VOA), which has taken the lead on outreach to the tent cities, there are three such sites in Camden, centered around 10th and Linden streets. They include one tent city in the wooded area near the Fraternal Order of Police on Federal Street, and another off Admiral Wilson Boulevard, where the DOT has been clearing them out.

“The backwoods has decreased drastically — they are down to approximately 19 people from close to 70,” said Rebecca Fuller, a spokeswoman for the VOA. “Everyone is moving over to the underpass that was cleared and gated, but they have cut the fence and migrated back, as well as to the ramp across from the Fraternal Order of Police building.

“I would say that the population has grown, just from the nightly numbers that the Joseph House is seeing, to approximately 80 to 85 people.”

While the VOA runs three shelters — a veterans, a men’s and a family shelter — Fuller said convincing those who have camped out along the state highways and overpasses to abandon their sites in favor of a more structured situation has proved difficult.

“That’s certainly a challenge,” she said. “In our shelters, there is some degree of structure. I mean, it’s not on lockdown, but there is structure.

“But in the tent cities, they have some autonomy. It’s absolutely a challenging population with people who may not want to come in.

According to Camden Police Chief Scott Thomson, officers would not uproot any established tent cities without first working with homeless advocate groups.

He added that eliminating the sites, without offering an alternative to the people living there, would only cause more problems.

“It would not be wise for police to unilaterally clear out a tent city,” said Thomson. “Such efforts require a comprehensive approach of governmental social services, otherwise we would just be making a bad situation worse.

“Our tent cities have been places where assaults, robberies and drug use have occurred. In addition to creating quality of life concerns, the unsanitary conditions are a serious public health issue as well.”

Representatives from the DOT could not be reached for comment.

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Contact staff writer Jason Laday at 856-686-3628 or jladay@southjerseymedia.com.