Deadline passes as DC's 'Tent City' clears out
WASHINGTON - A Friday deadline for the District to move people out of an area known as "Tent City" has been peaceful process as most of those who were living there have already moved out or found shelter.
For about a week, the city has sent workers to this homeless encampment along Rock Creek Parkway to help people living in tents here to get into a shelter or permanent housing. Notices were also posted in the area stating that the deadline to clear out the area was by 2 p.m. Friday.
D.C. officials brought in two large dump trucks Friday and started loading up what was left behind.
"We do have shelters available," said Brenda Donald, deputy mayor for Health and Human Services for the District of Columbia. "People choose not to go to the shelters for various reasons, but the city's responsibility is to provide shelter to all of our residents when the weather is cold, and we are doing that."
We met one woman who was staying in a tent here and she accepted an offer on Friday to first move to a hotel and then an apartment.
Another homeless man told FOX 5 that he was not going to fight the eviction and he would pack his things and move somewhere else with his tent.
We are told DC Water needs to dig down under this land to replace some equipment and that work will start this weekend. Once everyone is out, they will put up a fence until the water repairs are complete.