Justin L. Mack

justin.mack@Indystar.com

A longtime Downtown Indianapolis homeless camp known as "The Jungle" could be in the midst of its final winter.

Residents of the outdoor community just off East Washington Street told IndyStar they were informed last week by law enforcement officials that they would have to leave by the end of March.

Other residents at the camp, which is located near a rail line, say another group of officials told them that they must be gone within a week because CSX Transportation, the owner of the property, is calling for the area to be cleared.

A statement from CSX confirms that the end of The Jungle is drawing near, but at this time, those living in the camp have not been given a deadline for relocation. More information about the transition will be made available in the coming weeks.

CSX officials say that safety is the top priority, and they are working with organizations to make sure those displaced are not left without options.

"CSX has been actively working with the city, area churches and social service agencies to assist in transitioning individuals who have been occupying CSX property near an active rail line to safer living situations," the statement said. "Any activity near an active rail line is dangerous, and CSX is committed to working with appropriate agencies to resolve the public health and safety challenges created by the current situation."

Be it next week or next month, many residents of The Jungle were shocked by the news. On Thursday, those under the impression that they had just days remaining at the campsite were bundling their belongings and discussing what they were going to do next.

Joe Mefford, a 39-year-old referred to as "The Mayor" of The Jungle by its inhabitants, said he is unsure exactly how long the site has been up and running, but it is thought to be the one of the largest homeless camps in the city with a population that hovers around 25 or 30.

Mefford has been living there for nearly two years. It became his home after he spent a decade in prison during which time his family scattered. He said others have been living in The Jungle for as many as seven or eight years, and each person has a different story about how they got there.

"These people have been here for so long ... now they gotta move their whole life," Mefford said. "It's a tough situation."

Just behind the entrance to The Jungle — a piece of wood adorned with the quote "Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God" — about a half dozen residents sat around a fire and sipped coffee Thursday afternoon.

As they talked about the future, two cats crawled from one of the tents and stretched after a long nap. A resident who went by the nickname "Texas" carried trash from his area to a dumpster a few blocks south. He was joined by his dog who darted from tent to tent and urged his master to play instead of work.

In the distance, a man chopped wood and swept the paved portion of the camp. American flags flapped in the cold breeze.

A man who declined to give his name but referred to himself as the head of his "council" said he and his group would be leaving The Jungle over the weekend. He added that while their exit would be peaceful, he and many others plan to fight to one day reclaim their home just southeast of Downtown Indianapolis.

For him, The Jungle was a place to get a second chance after years of hardship and extend that opportunity to others who felt they had nowhere else to go.

The man, who is called "Wolfman" by the other residents, said everyone in The Jungle did their part to make it a real community, and even if they have to move, that sense of community will live on.

He added that in his opinion, the decision to close The Jungle will only lead to people scattering across the city in search of a new place to camp.

According to 2016 Point-in-Time Homeless Count, there were 1,619 homeless people found in Marion County. That number was down 2.8 percent compared to the previous year, but national research suggests the number is three to five times the number reported. Of the total number, nearly 360 homeless reported suffering mental illness, and another 500 said they had a substance abuse problem.

The count shows that the most common reason for lack of permanent housing among unsheltered individuals was a lost job. That was followed by eviction and incarceration.

A similar set of circumstances surrounded the closing of the Irish Hill homeless camp near Georgia and Davidson streets in August 2013. The land that camp was on belonged to the city and CSX.

At the time, CSX officials said they needed access to the area to do bridge maintenance and cleaning, and some of the camp's shelters were spilling into the public right of way. Businesses in the area had also expressed concerns about garbage and human waste at the site.

Before the Irish Hill evacuation, more than 60 people were said to live at the campsite. While most of the residents left on their own, five people who decided to peacefully stay at the camp beyond the evacuation deadline to draw attention to the problems of the homeless were arrested.

Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.

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