LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Come Wednesday, several homeless encampments in Louisville will be gone.
On Sept. 14, the city's Resilience and Community Services (RCS) office and community partners announced that in 21 days, several encampments in the downtown area would be cleared out.
At that time, about 69 people were reportedly homeless and 47 people have been sheltered and relocated.
The notice covered a six to eight-block radius around the I-65 overpass near Slugger Field. Downtown city officials said the camps needed to be cleared because they had become unsafe and unsanitary.
"We want to keep them safe and we want to keep them healthy. Because as you know, we are combatting this virus that we have within our nation," said Tameka Laird, RCS Director, during a press conference.
The most recent numbers show 22 people and 35 tents were still in the area ahead of the clearing date.
In a statement given to WHAS11, Laird said outreach groups will be present on the day the camps are taken down to provide help and resources to the people who need them.
"Metro agencies and partners are working in tandem to ensure a smooth and safe clearing process for all involved," Laird said.
If someone is in need of shelter, beds can be reserved through the Resilience and Community Service office at 502-637-2337. The phone line is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.