PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — After five years of homeless encampments along Pittsburgh’s river trails, many residents say they’re fed up and are demanding immediate action.
They are called the caves. Above Route 28 and behind a canvas live half a dozen people experiencing homelessness in the basement of houses demolished long ago. During the day, they panhandle at the foot of the 31st Street Bridge, and people who live on Washington’s Landing say they’re responsible for a rash of car break-ins and thefts of Amazon packages from stoops. But the city has made no arrests.
“I had an officer in particular who went up tp the caves, got all my stuff back and I said I want to press charges and he’s like you can’t,” Washington Landing’s resident Gerald Delon said.
For the townhouse owners, the caves are the last straw in a five-year struggle to get the city to address homeless encampments along the Allegheny River. Having bought their homes to enjoy the riverfront, they say the trail is now off-limits because of drug activity, discarded syringes, garbage and unleashed dogs.