Homelessness steadily increasing; how Kings County non-profits are helping and property owner rights

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- Homelessness successful Kings County is connected the rise.

There are hundreds of radical surviving connected the streets.

A 2023 Point successful Time number says 383 are successful Hanford alone.

That's an summation of astir 120 radical compared to the erstwhile year.

"It's a occupation everyplace and it tin beryllium precise frustrating for the spot owners and for concern owners. They are trying to behaviour regular concern and marque a surviving and this is conscionable thing that they are having to woody with," says Hanford Police Chief, Stephanie Huddleston.

Property owners tin capable retired this papers called a Letter of Agency, which allows constabulary to get radical disconnected a spot without having to interaction the owners.

In the past six months, Hanford Police has received astir 900 calls for work regarding radical camping retired connected backstage spot oregon trespassing.

Just a mates days ago, erstwhile backstage properties were being cleared, 54-year aged Michael Flores refused to permission and waved an axe astatine officers.

"It's thing that we don't privation to brushwood and anytime anyone arms themselves with a limb we person to instrumentality indispensable precautions. And fortunately successful this lawsuit the officers were capable to crushed with the individual," mentions Chief Stephanie Huddleston.

In Downtown Hanford, concern owners accidental they've experienced unhoused radical trying to get into their shops.

Monee Trujillo works astatine Patty's Studio successful downtown.

She says they've had to adhd a padlock for safety.

"Unfortunately, I deliberation a batch of situations that hap portion they are connected drugs is due to the fact that they had nary resources available," mentions Monee.

Nonprofits agree, resources are precise limited.

There are lone a fistful of them offering shelter, nutrient and basal hygiene needs.

Kings Community Action Organization is 1 of them; they accidental there's hope.

This bare lot, connected South tenth avenue and Hanford-Armona Road, is wherever they program to physique a shelter.

It would person implicit a 100 beds for locals with obscurity to go.

"They conscionable don't person the resources. And so, knowing who these individuals would, I think, assistance our origin and everybody else's origin and assistance radical to make much compassion, much empathy and hopefully beryllium determination to possibly help. You know, with immoderate of these projects," explains Joey Cox, with the Kings Community Action Organization.

Kings Community Action Organization says they are inactive successful request of backing for their shelter.

For now, backstage donors and authorities grants are helping marque their task possible.

If you'd similar to assistance you tin unpaid oregon donate monetary goods oregon hygiene products. For much ways to assistance oregon for resources sojourn here.

Other non-profits see Kings Gospel Mission and the Kings County Homelessness Coalition.

You tin besides telephone 2-1-1 oregon sojourn here for a database of stateless shelters successful Kings County.

For quality updates, travel Kassandra Gutierrez connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.