Cycle of homeless camps, cleanups mounts in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Homeless issues are increasing in Denver, a popular park for the homeless community had to be vacated Wednesday after a large rat infestation posed a health threat.

While we have our own escalating problems in parks across Colorado Springs, one local group is doing its part to make sure conditions don't get that bad here.

Trash and debris are often found in homeless camps, but in Colorado Springs, Dee Cunningham with Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful often finds herself in the middle of it all.

"Once you get in it, it's much bigger. It gets pretty overwhelming because it's a lot deeper than you think it is," she said.

Among the trash, she's seen several different things that she believes shouldn't be around places where people hike, walk and run.

"We've seen everything from drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons, human waste, lots of wasted clothing, shoes, tents, all kinds of stuff," she said.

So hearing about a large rat infestation among a camp where hundreds of people were living, doesn't come as a shock. Although she doesn't believe Colorado Springs has reached that level.

"Yes we have had rats, but not like giant rat infestations. We have mice, raccoons, and everybody else that will enjoy a bit," she said.

Although the city has put up cables, signs, and fencing, they say keeping people from loitering and sleeping in those areas is still hard. People in the homeless community say they just want to be treated like everyone else.

"We're not asking to be taken care of. We're asking to be left alone so we can live our lives and do what we need to do for ourselves," said one homeless man who spoke before city council earlier this week.

When one area gets cleaned up, Cunningham says it's often back within a week, making her job a little harder every time.

"We're really vigilant about cleaning up where families, individuals and families are running, riding bikes, recreating. We pick up a lot of syringes and a lot of other messy stuff," Cunningham said.

But she says it's worth it to make sure the community is still able to enjoy every part of the neighborhood.