If you walk into the wooded area at the corner of Salerno Road and Smith Avenue in Stuart, you’ll find piles and piles of trash that once belonged to people illegally camping there.
It was recently abandoned because of efforts by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office to crack down on the homeless population.
“This camp was active up until I would say several weeks ago. There were about still a dozen individuals living back here,” said investigator Tyler Ludlow with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
The area is across from Love and Hope in Action, better known as LAHIA, a daytime safe haven for those who are homeless.
“You know if there is a wooded area across the street from where the homeless population kind of gathers that this is what you would find,” said John Rourke, a veteran and Martin County resident. “We’re talking about tents and mattresses and comforters, pots and pans.”
Rourke is leading an effort to clean up the trash at the old encampment on Saturday, with the help of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, LAHIA and local businesses.