RIVERBANK — Homeless communities have been setting up camps along the Stanislaus River. Another setup in the community of Riverbank follows a similar story we covered in nearby Modesto this week.
Elaborate shanties have been taken down and built right back up many times over the last few years along the Stanislaus River in the Riverbank area. Caves are being dug into the banks below Highways 108 and 120.
“I’m sure everyone who drives down Highway 120 there should be worried about it,” says nearby resident Eddie Eagleton.
“As soon as they get kicked out, the night after they get kicked out, they just start digging,” Eagleton added. “Doesn’t seem like anyone can slow them down or stop them.”
Eagleton regularly fishes down the Stanislaus River and has been encountering these people for years. He said he often sees people digging into the river’s bank to build caves and even wooden shacks.
“It’s pretty amazing what 15-20 people can do in a night or two,” Eagleton said. “They got generators down there. They got power, water pumps.”