Norwich works to clean up homeless encampment trash heap as officials ponder summer concerns
The Chenango County Sheriff's Office and City of Norwich recently found the remains of a large homeless encampment near Norwich, located just outside city limits behind the buildings in the Norwich south plaza. (Photo by Tyler Murphy)
NORWICH – In a troubling sign of what may be to come as the weather improves, emergency officials from the Chenango County Sheriff's Office and City of Norwich confirmed the discovery of a large homeless encampment near Norwich this week.
Norwich Police said dozens of people may have been at the site at one time.
The camp is currently abandoned and flooded due to recent bad weather. Large piles of trash, discarded tents, drug paraphernalia, propane tanks, clothing, carts and other items are concentrated in places but scattered across a handful of acres. Remnants of primitive structures made of logs, tarps and rocks are also present. The area smelled like sewage.
The camp is located just outside city limits in the Town of Norwich, behind the buildings in Norwich South Plaza, where the bowling alley once was.
Norwich Deputy Chief of Police Scott Burlison said police were only recently made aware of this specific situation. He and Norwich Sgt. Detective Matt Roberts visited the site. They said they located dozens of hypodermic needles.
Roberts said police were aware of the location being used previously by homeless trespassers, but never to this extent.
He said the NPD, working with the Chenango County Sheriff's Office, had made an effort to remove and ticket people as police were made aware of issues by property owners.
Burlison said police had a difficult time trying to stop the issue when it does not occur within city jurisdiction or on city property, and things were getting worse.
“We tell them to leave the property, they get appearance tickets, and the problem gets worse,” he said.
He said the cost of the clean up would likely be the responsibility of the property owner. Recent records indicate a new owner took over the property in fall of 2023, listed as, Sky Norwich LLC, based in Houston,Texas.
“The property owner probably had no idea what is going on,” said Burlison. He said the sheriff was now in contact with the owner.
The Department of Environmental Conservation was also contacted. The NPD is working with the sheriff to solve the current issue.
“Wait until things turn green and you can't see anything and the weather picks up,” said Burlison. He said the issue wasn't new but getting worse and evolving.
He said the camps were becoming more normalized and that a lifestyle of cycling through multiple locations by individual or groups was becoming more common. When one place becomes too filthy or the police show up, they move to another already known location, where another camp might have already been started, he explained. He said police had reports of at least two other illegal camps in the area, but not within city limits.
Norwich Police said dozens of people may have been at the site at one time.
The camp is currently abandoned and flooded due to recent bad weather. Large piles of trash, discarded tents, drug paraphernalia, propane tanks, clothing, carts and other items are concentrated in places but scattered across a handful of acres. Remnants of primitive structures made of logs, tarps and rocks are also present. The area smelled like sewage.
The camp is located just outside city limits in the Town of Norwich, behind the buildings in Norwich South Plaza, where the bowling alley once was.
Norwich Deputy Chief of Police Scott Burlison said police were only recently made aware of this specific situation. He and Norwich Sgt. Detective Matt Roberts visited the site. They said they located dozens of hypodermic needles.
Roberts said police were aware of the location being used previously by homeless trespassers, but never to this extent.
He said the NPD, working with the Chenango County Sheriff's Office, had made an effort to remove and ticket people as police were made aware of issues by property owners.
Burlison said police had a difficult time trying to stop the issue when it does not occur within city jurisdiction or on city property, and things were getting worse.
“We tell them to leave the property, they get appearance tickets, and the problem gets worse,” he said.
He said the cost of the clean up would likely be the responsibility of the property owner. Recent records indicate a new owner took over the property in fall of 2023, listed as, Sky Norwich LLC, based in Houston,Texas.
“The property owner probably had no idea what is going on,” said Burlison. He said the sheriff was now in contact with the owner.
The Department of Environmental Conservation was also contacted. The NPD is working with the sheriff to solve the current issue.
“Wait until things turn green and you can't see anything and the weather picks up,” said Burlison. He said the issue wasn't new but getting worse and evolving.
He said the camps were becoming more normalized and that a lifestyle of cycling through multiple locations by individual or groups was becoming more common. When one place becomes too filthy or the police show up, they move to another already known location, where another camp might have already been started, he explained. He said police had reports of at least two other illegal camps in the area, but not within city limits.
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