‘Horrendous’: Street camping in Salt Lake City industrial area leads to garbage pileup

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – While many Utahners will be camping for recreation this holiday weekend, some are doing it out of desperation. ABC4 News found an area in Salt Lake City where dozens of people live in RVs, cars, and tents right on public roads.

Dozens of cars and RVs line Milestone Drive and Decade Drive near 3200 W. on the west side of the capital, some with generators, water tanks, and grills, tell-tale signs that people have been here for days or weeks.

Artist Cliff Anderson says he has lived here in his van since he was evicted from his apartment in Magna. I asked him where these men, women and children came from.

“You just land here. You hear about it and come over here and park, ”Anderson said. “Could be here a month, maybe two days.”

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Anderson says Salt Lake City officers occasionally stop by but don’t force anyone to leave. The employees of the surrounding shops are fed up with it.

“It’s a real mess,” said Jason Snedaker. “The garbage is just over. It’s horrific … It’s heartbreaking to see people in such a situation. There is no doubt. At the same time, it’s frustrating because of all the junk that is piling up. It’s usually just a ton of garbage collection and drug use. “

“It’s getting trashier,” Anderson told ABC4. “When I first came here it was clean and some of these people, I don’t know why, are building their own dumps.”

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Section 9.64.170 of the Salt Lake City Code prohibits dumping of garbage in public and Section 12.56.525 prohibits motorhomes from being parked on city streets for more than 48 hours. A business owner tells ABC4 that he called the city daily to complain about this growing warehouse.

ABC4 asked: Is the city doing enough?

“I really don’t think so,” replied Snedaker. “I really don’t know what the answers are, but we’ve been calling town for the last three or four weeks and they say, ‘It will be taken care of,’ but as you can see, nothing has been done.”

Salt Lake City’s newly appointed homelessness policy and outreach director Andrew Johnston says the city is aware of the situation and is working with the county park and health department to clean up the area.