MODESTO — Hidden homeless caves tucked along the Tuolumne River were cleared out by volunteer groups and the Modesto Police Department over the weekend.
Across the street from Crater Avenue and about 20 feet below are the caves that the homeless dug out.
“These are basically stairs they made to get down to the dwelling,” said Tracy Rojas, who lives near the cave camps.
Rojas took CBS13 on the treacherous walk to see the craters near the home she has lived in for nearly 30 years on Crater Avenue.
“If one of these were to collapse, it would be devastating,” she said. “This whole thing would come down and go into the water.”
Volunteers from Operation 9-2-99 and the Tuolumne River Trust partnered with the Modesto Police Department to clear out 7,600 pounds of trash over the weekend. They also had two truckloads and a trailer of garbage that were removed from the area.
One of the caves that Rojas took CBS13 into used to be fully furnished with what she said was bedding, belongings, food, things on a makeshift mantel, drugs and weapons.