LANSING — Neighbors and a church that owns a 6-acre vacant lot on the city’s south side are calling on the city to help them deal with issues associated with a homeless encampment that keeps popping up on the land.
A large fire that damaged property near the site on Perry Robinson Circle on March 22 was at least the fourth blaze that required a response by firefighters, said Mike Chaffee, who lives near the property, situated at the end of a dead-end street running south from East Jolly Road, just west of South Cedar Street.
“This is not about homelessness,” said Chaffee, one of several neighbors who took part in a news conference at the property on Monday, March 30. They said the city needs to do more to protect them from illegal, destructive behavior that threatens their safety and could harm property values…