Concerns rise over homeless influx near elementary school in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Pinedale Elementary School has been caught up successful issues brought connected by a emergence successful homelessness, specified arsenic cause usage and loitering connected and astir schoolhouse grounds.

Kelly Avants with Clovis Unified says the schoolhouse has greeting information sweeps earlier kids get and different information measures.

"We've accrued lighting, we've changed immoderate fencing implicit a mates of years to marque definite that we make a unafraid situation for our kids," Avants said. 

Avants besides said owed to the influx of stateless successful the country the assemblage is present taking action. 

"We person unluckily seen the past mates of years a greater volume, and I deliberation that the assemblage present understands that they besides request to measurement into that and to assistance america assistance them assistance instrumentality enforcement assistance the situation," Avants said. 

Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi said the main interest is kids becoming desensitized to amerciable behavior.

"What we are acrophobic astir is what they person to spot and acquisition going to and from school, uncovering hypodermic needles that are near connected the crushed - and we person recovered some, oregon seeing cause usage retired successful the open. If you're driving that country of Blackstone, you'll astir apt spot it, too. And that's thing I didn't spot six months ago," Karbassi said. 

Karbassi said the metropolis is moving intimately with the schoolhouse district, instrumentality enforcement, and the assemblage to guarantee kids are protected. 

"We're not punishing anybody for being homeless, but we are going to punish you if you're doing drugs successful beforehand of kids oregon you're dropping needles everywhere. We can't person that," Karbassi said. 

Their program is to person much constabulary enactment astir the school.

"We're moving connected a caller declaration with either Clovis Unified oregon Fresno PD to person instrumentality enforcement arsenic a regular beingness to the school," Karbassi said. 

The metropolis and territory accidental they are committed to getting these individuals retired of the area.

 If parents and module spot thing suspicious, they are asked to telephone instrumentality enforcement immediately.