SAN ANTONIO -- Cleaning up homeless campsites removed two truck loads of debris from areas around town Thursday morning.
San Antonio Police, Public Works and Haven for Hope partner up to periodically clean up places where the homeless live. While Public Works crews work to remove any left-behind belongings, Ron Brown works to get people off the streets to Haven for Hope.
"People prey on the homeless. That's why they go in spots like this so nobody will know where they are at," Brown explained.
In a thicket of trees along Interstate 37 near downtown, Brown discovered a man named James that he'd been looking for for the past 18 months.
"I realized who he was and I was like, 'oh wow! Been looking for you, man.' Real good. Been searching for him!"
James gathered a few of his belongings and went with Brown to Haven for Hope and got a hot shower, clean clothes and a good meal.
"It could be me. It could be my kids. It could be somebody I love and care about. I would want somebody to reach out and show some concern and care," Brown said.
A man named Mike living under the Interstate 35 North on ramp downtown said it was difficult to give up his belongings.
"Yeah I get hurt. You don't know how much stuff the church has given me. They give me blankets and just to see it vanish in one second..." he said.
Police said some of the homeless will temporarily move on, but return to the same area and accumulate more things. Crews clean campsites every six weeks or so.
