ALBANY, Ore. (KOIN) — You have to see it to believe it: Homeless campers in Albany dug tunnels to sleep in, and now inmate work crews are cleaning them up.
The network of tunnels was dug out in Simpson Park near the Willamette River. Albany police say homeless camping in the area is nothing new. In the summer, 20-30 people call Simpson Park home, but these tunnels have shocked other park users.
Police were called out when somebody stumbled upon them in June. The people living in the tunnels were told to leave, but patrol officers found another group staying in them in July. On Monday, another person was caught inside them.
One man reportedly admitted to building the tunnels over the course of about 1 year.
“There are a lot of people out there that are homeless right now,” Lt. Alan Lynn with Albany PD told KOIN 6 News. “And, you know, when you’re in a situation where you don’t have a place to go, what are you going to do?”
Crews are now working to get things back to the way they originally were.
“If we don’t take them out they’re going to come out naturally,” Lynn said. “Basically, [they would] crash into the river.”
Lynn explained that the tunnels pose serious safety risks to campers.
“Someone could be stuck in here… it would cave in on them,” he said. “When the river rises up this winter it will wash this out completely.”
Two dead trees will be removed and the earth will be filled in at the spot. It’s going to cost taxpayers more than $2,000.