A popular park in Tempe has been the source of a lot of complaints. City officials and residents sounding off on social media have been complaining about the trash piling up at Papago Park. Some residents have posted pictures of several homeless tent cities they've come across while hiking, biking, or jogging through common trails.
One man who asked us not to be identified said he had called the city several times to complain.
"From the city my usual response I get is in two weeks, we'll send somebody out to clean it up. Two weeks has gone by several times."
He walked us through a trail in the LoPiano habitat to show us some of the problem areas. You don't have to go far to start seeing the homeless camps. One woman said it felt invasive, like you're looking into someone's bedroom. One camp had a sign up saying "Don't ask questions, just go away."
Some residents said the trash piling up in the park was getting worse.
"The trash is horrible. It is attracting wild dogs and smells horrendously," said the man who asked not to be identified.
He added that he had stopped biking through the area because he did not feel safe.
Tempe City Councilman Kolby Granville said his office had received several complaints about Papago Park, and the approach the city was taking was a long term one.
"What we're not going to do is just show up and just sweep everyone away. We're not going to get a phone call on Monday, and then on Tuesday just sweep everyone away, because on Wednesday they're going to be back," said Granville.
Granville said outreach teams from the city would be reaching out to the homeless people living in the camps to offer them options and services, and give them plenty of notice before cleaning up the camps.
Some residents liked the approach, but felt Tempe should at least start taking out the trash.
Tempe city officials said they planned to begin clean up on June 2 and it would be a collaborative effort between the Tempe human services department, police, and public works. City officials also sent us this statement:
"The City of Tempe takes public health and safety issues very seriously and is working collaboratively to address the litter concerns in areas of Papago Park, many of which are the result of homelessness. The cleanup effort on June 2 will focus on the bottom of the trail in the LoPiano habitat, just north of the freeway. It is important for homeless men and women living in these areas to be referred to services prior to cleanup attempts. The Police Department, Human Services Division and Public Works Division will work together to ensure those resource connections are made. The city plans to work through all areas of Papago Park in Tempe, which includes approximately 400 acres. Since this is such a large area, the cleanups will happen in phases and will take several weeks."
If anyone has complaints about the trash or homeless sites, city officials encourage you to alert them by calling 480-350-4311.
