CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Despite a number of trees falling on tents around the Free Bridge homeless encampment, no one was injured during the severe thunderstorms that hit the area Friday, Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade told Cville Right Now on Tuesday. Over 80 unhoused people are believed to currently be residing in makeshift campsites around the Rivanna River Trail.
The city has pledged to clear those encampments on or around Sept. 1, and will be opening a temporary emergency shelter at the property it purchased at 2000 Holiday Dr. Concerns about the Rivanna River flooding were drivers for the September deadline, but city officials said that didn’t happen in the recent storm.
Police Chief Michael Kochis told Cville Right Now there was “nothing major” in terms of flooding issues at the encampment…