PHOENIX — Broken down vehicles, drug paraphernalia and abandoned furniture are all things Eric Goll will see not far from his home. The longtime resident of Apache Junction said the blight has gotten worse over the past several years and like many of his neighbors is demanding change.
"Well I come out to the desert to forget my problems and recharge the batteries," he said. "And when I come out here and there's 15 broken campers and piles of garbage and buckets full of crap out here it's not what people come out to do around here and enjoy."
Goll is talking about the illegal camping situation. It's a problem he said he first noticed about five years ago.
"So people come out here and squat and trespass for months," he said. "I see people taking a dump in the bushes, people crapping in buckets, I see tires dumped, I see broken down vehicles that aren't titled or registered or insured. I see people working on their vehicles dumping motor oil on the ground. That's not what this area was intended for. It's for people to come out and enjoy it and camp and not destroy it."
The problem is spread to different parts of Apache Junction but is really noticeable near Dutchman Park. Take one of the dirt roads off the main drag and almost immediately you'll see tents, RVs (many abandoned), and cars alongside mounds of trash. Trash and small objects are hidden behind bushes and trees.
12News got a firsthand look at the problem. At one point a person was seen in a campsite with two RVs, a car, and two horses tied to a tree. Trash and clothes could also be seen around the area. It's images like this Goll said he sees constantly.
"Campers get abandoned, then someone else moves into it, then they move out, meanwhile the garbage piles up all around it or someone will set it on fire and it's become a vicious cycle," he said.
In Arizona, it's legal for someone to camp on public land for 14 days. After that time, it's required they move at least 25 miles away. Goll said in the area, the Bureau of Land Management isn't enforcing that on their property.
"If they do get kicked out by the BLM [the campers] go a mile down the road to National Forest Land and do the same thing over and over," Goll said. "I'd like to see more resources invested to where this can be controlled."
Goll said residents have met with BLM leaders several times to express frustrations and a call for change. Goll though said the response they get in return shows a lack of concern.
"Bigger part of the problem is BLM said the garbage they leave behind is so toxic they won't send their own employees to clean it up so if we don't want to live in the middle of a landfill we need to clean it up ourselves. So I've put together a team of volunteers to clean up the area."
The Bureau of Land Management tells 12News:
"Just like many municipalities, the Bureau of Land Management is experiencing an increase in unhoused people attempting to reside on public lands. The BLM has worked with several community groups that provide outreach and support to unhoused people. BLM staff regularly patrol public lands, and if they encounter unhoused individuals, they can notify them of camping limits and refer them to area services. Unless posted otherwise, public lands have a 14-day stay limit. The BLM is continuing to work with community groups to develop viable solutions to support unhoused people. If someone wants to report illegal dumping or concerns about public lands users, they can contact the Phoenix District Office at 623-580-5500."
According to Goll, the problem can also be found on Tonto National Forest land. They told 12News they're aware of the issue and working with state, local and other federal agencies to address "this community issue."
"During the winter months there are increasing issues of unsheltered individuals residing on the Forest longer than is legally allowed (14 days)." They said in a statement. "The extent of the issue depends widely on the area of the Forest and the time of year. Forest Service Law Enforcement Officers are constantly patrolling areas of known activity and contacting individuals that are staying on the Forest illegally. The Tonto National Forest is actively addressing long-term illegal stays through the means that we have available. Recently, a camping closure was instituted near Apache Junction to address the public health and safety concerns associated with long-term illegal camping."
Goll is hopeful leaders will listen to his neighbors' pleas for help and asks more resources be invested into the area so it can be cleaned up and controlled. However, he fears change won't happen.
"The National Forest that has a lot of land they've shut down all camping in the area because of severe personnel safety, the environmental risk and the BLM refuses to do that," he said. "So they're concentrated on BLM land and it gets worse and worse. This is in crisis mode right here."
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