List of tent cities in the United States explained

This is a list of notable tent cities in the United States. A tent city is an encampment or housing facility made using tents or other temporary structures.

West Coast

• Anaheim, California: Skid River^[1]
• Anchorage, Alaska: 3rd Ave and Ingra Street encampment^[2]
• Berkeley, California: Seabreeze,^[3] on and off settlement in People's Park
• Chico, California: Comanche Creek^[4]
• Eugene, Oregon: Opportunity Village, Westmoreland Park^[5]
• Eureka, California: Devil's Playground^[6]
• Hawaii: Pu'uhonua o Waianae^[7] in Waianae.
• Las Vegas, Nevada: Tent cities are prevalent in downtown, including G Street.^[8]
• Long Beach, California: As of April 2021, one is located near Interstate 405 and 710 freeways.^[9] In September 2008, five people were shot dead at a homeless encampment near the present-day one near 405 in what is known to be one of the most deadliest acts of violence against the homeless community. In 2018, two gang members were found guilty and sentenced to life without parole. One victim was killed due to a drug disagreement; the other four witnessed the murder and were killed for this reason.^[10]
• Los Angeles and in general Los Angeles County is home to many encampments, which are heavily based in downtown Los Angeles, Fashion District, Hollywood, Skid Row, Venice Beach, and Westlake. An estimated 40,000 homeless live in L.A. and up to 70,000 countywide. The encampments on Venice Beach started to be cleared out in late July 2021, with some tents and property of homeless residents still in process of being moved. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti signed a bill to criminalize homeless sleeping and taking up shelter in certain areas of the city; this led to riots and protests at his house with 50 protesters, and a rock was thrown at his house. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood was at the center of attention in January 2022 for sweeps due to the upcoming Super Bowl 2022.
• National City, California^[11]
• Novato, California

Lee Gerner Park

• Oakland, California: 77th Avenue encampment, Fruitvale Home Depot encampment.
• Oceanside, California: South Ocean Blvd. encampment,^[12] Roymar Road^[13] which was later replaced with rocks in May 2021
• Olympia, Washington: Camp Quixote.^[14]
• Ontario, California: Temporary Homeless Service Area (THSA)^[15]
• Petaluma, California: Petaluma River encampment peaked at around 300 residents and may have some presence still.^[16]
• Portland, Oregon: Dignity Village, Right 2 Dream Too, Hazelnut Grove^[17]
• Rohnert Park, California: Roberts Lake encampment
• Salinas, California: There is a tent city in Salinas’ historic Chinatown.
• San Francisco has at least 8,000 sheltered and/or homeless population, 1% of SF's population. Homeless encampments have sprouted and are more common in the areas of SoMa, Tenderloin, and have stayed in front of the San Francisco City Hall and areas throughout the city.
• San Jose, California: The Jungle was at its time one of the largest homeless encampments in the US before the spike in the homeless tent usage throughout North America in the late 2010s. In 2013, it had 175 people.^[18] Other encampments in San Jose include the one on Berryessa and McKee, which is visible from space.^[19]
• San Diego has multiple homeless camps. In March 2021, a truck driver plowed into an encampment in downtown San Diego, killing 3 homeless men and wounding six others; the driver was arrested for manslaughter and DUI.^[20]
• Santa Barbara, California: In Isla Vista, California, which is technically separate from Santa Barbara, there are three parks with tent cities.^[21]
• Santa Cruz, California: There are about 1,200 to 1,700 homeless in Santa Cruz, 3.5% of the city; many had lived or are living in Ross Camp^[22] (200 people) and San Lorenzo Park (up to 300 people; closed in late 2022^[23]).

• Santa Rosa, California: There is only one encampment with four or more tents/structures: located by a church and small shopping district near Sebastopol Road and South Wright Road. There was one on 4th Street in front of the Chelino's Mexican Restaurant parking lot, and on-and-off settlement on Morgan Street and Industrial Drive. Doyle Community Park, Fremont Park. Joe Rodota Trail, and Homeless Hill are defunct or have occasional settlement.
• Sacramento, California: American River encampment Tent City^{[24] [25] [26] [27] [28]} and Safe Ground^[15]
• Seattle: Broadview Thomas School encampment,^[29] CHAZ, The Jungle, Nickelsville,^[30] Tent City 3 and Tent City 4
• Spokane, Washington: Camp Hope is located on Washington State Department of Transportation property adjacent to Interstate 90. With a population of over 600, it the largest homeless encampment on state land in Washington.^{[31] [32]}
• Vallejo, California: Wilson Avenue and Sacramento Street^[20]
• Ventura, California: River Haven^[33]

Mountain and Midwest states

• Ann Arbor, Michigan: Camp Take Notice, Ann Arbor, Michigan^[34]
• Traverse City, Michigan

The Pines

• Grand Rapids, Michigan: Heartside Park
• Colorado River: The Point, where the Gunnison River and Colorado River meet^[35]
• Chicago: Tent City, Uptown Tent City
• Denver: Denver has many homeless encampments that either have existed or currently exist or in same spots, including those in RiNo, and one that shut down there in November 2020^[36] Woodstock West was one.
• Detroit: One in Hart Plaza^[37]
• Fort Wayne, Indiana: Along the St. Marys River^[38]
• Indianapolis: downtown Indianapolis^[39]
• Bernalillo County, New Mexico: Parts of International District^[40]
• Camp Hope, Las Cruces, New Mexico^[41]
• Minneapolis, Minnesota: 2020 Minneapolis homeless encampments on park property^{[42] [43]}
• Ogden, Utah
• Salt Lake City, Utah: 600 West, and Pioneer Park has an encampment.^[44]

Southern US

• Asheville, North Carolina
• Atlanta: “The Hill”, Buckhead^[45]
• Austin, Texas banned homeless camping in April 2021. Homeless camps, as of May, exist in Austin including one on Lady Bird Trail. In May 2021, the camping ban was reinstated after a ballot proposition was approved by voters. The ban introduces potential penalties for camping, sitting, or lying down on a public sidewalk and outdoors in downtown Austin or the area around the University of Texas campus.^[46]
• Fayette County, Tennessee: Tent City
• Greenville, South Carolina: Tent City^[47]
• Maricopa County Sheriff's Tent City, Phoenix, Arizona
• Jacksonville, Florida had a significant tent city downtown, until it was dispersed in March 2021. Smaller homeless tent cities or tents may exist in Jacksonville.
• Lubbock, Texas

Avenue A and 13th Street encampment^[48]

• Norfolk, Virginia^[49]
• St. Louis, Missouri had a camp at a park near downtown which was cleared in January 2021, and homeless camps still exist in the Saint Louis area^[50]
• Pensacola, Florida
• Tampa, Florida^[51]

East coast

• Mass and Cass in Boston, Massachusetts: As of early September 2021, a tent city grew to over 100 residents from a "dozen in a matter of weeks" in the Melnea Cass Boulevard area, which is informally nicknamed "Methadone Mile".^[52]
• Camden, New Jersey: Transition Park, Camden, New Jersey
• Hartford, Connecticut: Downtown Hartford^[53]
• Tent City (100+ residents) of Lakewood, New Jersey^{[54] [55]}
• New York City: One in Elmhurst, Queens as of July 2020,^[56] and Occupy City Hall^[57] They were reported in Chelsea, Manhattan and Bushwick, Brooklyn according to a 2020 NBC article. The three other boroughs reported them during this summer of 2020.^[58] There is a tent city in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, where a woman was protecting a friend near a tent city, where a homeless man became enraged after suspecting that the two got close to his tent, making him nervous. He then stabbed the woman, 40, who was not a resident of the tent city or believed to be homeless, to death.^[59]
• Philadelphia

Kensington

• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

In nearby Scotts Township^[60]

• Washington, D.C.

Encampment under L and M Street underpasses.^[61]

Other

• St. Vincent de Paul property, Fourth Avenue North, Saint Petersburg, Florida

See also

• Skid row
• Hooverville

External links

• Tent Cities in America, a report from National Coalition for the Homeless
• List of tent cities at wikidot.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: The court case that forced OC to stop ignoring its homeless. 11 September 2018.
2. Web site: Tents dismantled, garbage cleared at sprawling Anchorage homeless camp. May 12, 2020. Anchorage Daily News.
3. Web site: Workers haul 35 tons of debris out of Berkeley Seabreeze homeless camp. 19 October 2020.
4. Web site: Federal junction blocks Chico from removing homeless camps at Comanche Creek. www.krcrtv.com. 12 April 2021 .
5. Web site: Homeless Camp Sweep at Westmoreland Park – Eugene Weekly.
6. Web site: Eureka City Council Adopts Camping Ordinance That It's Been Talking About for Months. Lost Coast Outpost.
7. Web site: Hawaii cracks down on homeless encampment.
8. Web site: Few penalized in first year of Las Vegas homeless camping ban. Las Vegas Review-Journal.
9. Web site: Man shot to death at Long Beach homeless encampment. April 21, 2021.
10. Web site: Gang member gets 5 life sentences for shooting deaths at Long Beach homeless camp - The Homicide Report. homicide.latimes.com.
11. Web site: Homeless encampment grows in National City amid resident complaints. www.cbs8.com. 7 April 2021.
12. Web site: Drugs, illegal weapons found at Oceanside homeless encampment. Gary Warth. March 28. 2021 12 Pm. Pt. March 28, 2021. San Diego Union-Tribune.
13. Web site: Oceanside clears Roymar Road encampment, installs rocks alongside street. Gary Warth. May 8. 2021 12 Pm. Pt. May 8, 2021. San Diego Union-Tribune.
14. News: Tortorello . Michael . 2014-02-19 . Small World, Big Idea . 2024-05-22 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.
15. http://nationalhomeless.org/publications/Tent%20Cities%20Report%20FINAL%203-4-10.pdf "Tent Cities in America: A Pacific Coast Report"
16. Web site: Petaluma reevaluating how it handles its growing homeless population. November 30, 2020. Santa Rosa Press Democrat.
17. News: Right 2 Dream Too: Deadline to dismiss lawsuit extended 60 days . Oregonlive . October 21, 2013 . 2016-09-14 . Schmidt, Brad.
18. News: Emmons. Mark. San Jose's 'Jungle': Former homeless encampment returns to nature. 2016-10-27. The Mercury News. 2015-07-09.
19. Web site: Growing stretch of homeless camps of Silicon Valley, visible from space. San Jose Mercury.
20. Web site: Massive encampment relocation off Highway 37. December 14, 2020.
21. Web site: Homeless Camps in Three Isla Vista Parks Declared Fire Hazards. November 3, 2020.
22. Web site: Ross Camp reopens in Santa Cruz. November 12, 2019.
23. Web site: Santa Cruz Benchlands homeless encampment cleared. Santa Cruz Sentinel. 2022-12-31. 2023-05-24.
24. Web site: Tent City returns - Beats - Local Stories - December 8, 2011 - Sacramento News & Review . Newsreview.com . 6 December 2011. 2016-09-14.
25. News: Hurt . Suzanne . California tent city for homeless to be closed . Reuters . 2009-03-20. 2016-09-14.
26. Web site: Sacramento Police Order Tent City Homeless To Clear Out « CBS Sacramento. Sacramento.cbslocal.com. 2011-12-28. 2016-09-14.
27. Web site: Pictures Of Sacramento's Tent City: Unfiltered And Unspun. Dailymarkets.com. 2016-09-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20121123010141/http://www.dailymarkets.com/economy/2009/03/06/pictures-of-sacramentos-tent-city-unfiltered-and-unspun/. 2012-11-23. dead.
28. News: Sacramento Tent City | In Sacramento's tent city, a torn economic fabric - Los Angeles Times. Articles.latimes.com. 2009-03-20. 2016-09-14. Maria L.. La Ganga.
29. Web site: Homeless encampment on North Seattle school property draws concern from neighbors. www.king5.com. 24 April 2021.
30. News: Mckinley . Jesse . Cities Deal With a Surge in Shantytowns . California . . 2009-03-25 . 2016-09-14.
31. Web site: Segerstrom . Carl . Washington's largest homeless encampment faces an uncertain future . High Country News . 2022-07-30 . en-us . 2022-07-19.
32. Web site: Mason . Greg . Alternative to Camp Hope: Spokane's proposal to spend $24.3 million in state funds focuses on shelters on Trent, Sunset Highway . The Spokesman-Review . 2022-07-30 . en . 2022-07-22.
33. Web site: At River Haven in Ventura, domes near end of life. Arlene. Martinez. Ventura County Star.
34. Web site: Tent camp reveals social inequality in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mitch Marcus and Janel Flechsig . World Socialist Web Site. February 20, 2012.
35. Web site: Wiggins . Mike . Railroad project will evict squatters from The Point . GJSentinel.com . 2012-02-11 . 2016-09-14.
36. Web site: Denver sweeps homeless camp.
37. Web site: Detroit to remove homeless encampment in Hart Plaza to make way for renovations. www.metrotimes.com.
38. Web site: Homeless camp sites pop up in Fort Wayne, present challenge for city police. Jeff. Neumeyer. February 5, 2020.
39. Web site: Homeless camp draws attention downtown after fence goes up. www.wthr.com. 8 March 2021.
40. Web site: Fifth 'Tent City' pops up outside city limits. Cole. Miller. 8 April 2015. krqe.com. 23 April 2018.
41. Web site: Hope Village Las Cruces. Hope Village Las Cruces. 23 April 2018.
42. Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (April 2021). "Superintendent’s Annual Report 2020 Rising to Challenges During a Pandemic". www.minneapolisparks.org. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
43. News: Du. Susan. 2021-02-05. Minneapolis Park Board ends encampment permits, asks other agencies to take lead on homeless. Star Tribune.
44. Web site: Homeless camps have been cleared out in Salt Lake City. Unhoused people say they don't know where they will stay now.. The Salt Lake Tribune.
45. Web site: A city within a city: Atlanta's biggest homeless camp right next to Buckhead. https://web.archive.org/web/20210805042605/https://www.cbs46.com/news/a-city-within-a-city-atlantas-biggest-homeless-camp-right-next-to-buckhead/article_ffe379a8-f55d-11eb-8085-e7c44deb8495.html. dead. August 5, 2021. Kennedy, Jamie. CBS46. August 4, 2021.
46. Web site: Austin voters choose to bring back homeless camping ban . Autullo, Ryan . Austin American-Statesman . May 1, 2021 . May 13, 2021.
47. Web site: Photos: Inside Tent City, the organized homeless community under a Greenville bridge. www.greenvilleonline.com.
48. Web site: Local homeless advocates say solutions need more specificity | Lubbock Online | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal . Lubbock Online . 2016-09-14.
49. Web site: Homelessness in Norfolk has doubled during the pandemic. The city is trying a new approach.. Ryan. Murphy. pilotonline.com.
50. Web site: Saint Louis clears homeless camp from downtown. 3 May 2020. fox2now.com/.
51. Web site: Tampa sets up tent city so homeless can shelter in place. Tampa Publishing. Company. Tampa Bay Times.
52. Web site: 'It's never ever been this bad': 100+ tents set up along Methadone Mile concern community leaders . Karedes . Drew . . September 3, 2021.
53. Web site: Homeless encampment in heart of downtown Hartford speaks to region's need for shelter space, affordable housing. Rebecca. Lurye. courant.com. 10 January 2020 .
54. News: Through the cracks: NJ encampment of jobless the govt. ignores . NYPOST.com . 2012-02-06 . 2016-09-14 . John . Crudele.
55. Web site: Fatal Fire at NJ Homeless Encampment . Fire Engineering . 2012-01-30 . 2016-09-14.
56. Web site: Residents Say Homeless Encampment in Queens Is Growing. www.ny1.com.
57. News: Occupy City Hall Struggles as Homeless Move In. Alan. Feuer. Juliana. Kim. Byron. Smith. The New York Times. July 9, 2020.
58. Web site: City battles homeless encampments popping up across the five boroughs. NBC New York. August 14, 2020. Villeda, Ray.
59. Web site: NYC woman killed near tent was protecting pal. New York Daily News.
60. Web site: Suspect arrested in Scott Township stabbing. CBS Local. November 12, 2021.
61. Web site: Shelte for DC homeless during pandemic.