LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A group of Lake County residents said they are fed up with the wooded area in their neighborhood turning into a makeshift homeless camp, leading to them finding cardboard boxes, garbage and syringes near their yards.
Leesburg police said they respond to the neighborhood when residents call to complain. But, they said, since there are no homeless shelters in Lake County, when they force the homeless to leave they often have nowhere to go.
Residents said homeless people continue to return to the neighborhood, leaving them uncomfortable outside their homes. They said the homeless are using the canopy of trees nearby for shelter.
"We are having to cut back our privacy, all of our shrubbery, all of the beautiful landscape," one resident said.
Another resident said they’ve had to clean up areas the homeless used as a bathroom.
County leaders said they’re collaborating with the Salvation Army and trying to come up with a solution to help the homeless.
They said they are working on finding a shelter location and trying to figure out how to create a long-term housing solution.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
