As nearby homeless camp grows, neighbors plead with city to get something done

SAN ANTONIO - It's an issue one San Antonio woman said has her feeling trapped in her own home. Jo Rivera said those at a nearby homeless encampment continue to come onto her property and a popular trail.

Just off Holbrook road on the city's Northeast Side you'll find Victoria's Black Swan Inn. The venue is known for its unique decorations and quiet atmosphere. The latter is something it’s Owner Rivera wants back.

“I don't know what the perfect solution is. But I do know that down here we need help,” Rivera said.

Just a block down the road from the venue is a homeless camp she says is impacting the neighborhood. Rivera said it started forming around February.

“There's at least - easily - a dozen there. I just hit the Redmond bridge, there's easily at least a dozen,” Rivera said.

She also adds that on her 40-acre property, there's been a number of incidents that have happened either on or near it. The property isn't the only place that the homeless have been seen. She even said the activity has spilled over to the trail area, noting that some families and even single parents haven't been seen here as often because they don't want homeless people to come up to them and ask them for stuff.

"We've had to bar the doors to keep people from coming in at any time in the day. We had a break-in yesterday. One of the shops was vandalized and robbed. There's a lot of kids on the bike trail. And sometimes -as summers coming - these kids are going to be out here by themselves. As a parent, that's kind of scary,” Rivera said.

She adds that she has called a number of people including Parks and Rec, Police and SAFFE Officers, as well as her City Councilman in District Two, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez. We spoke with his office and they tell us they're looking into the issue.

So what can be done if you're in a similar situation? President and CEO of Christian Assistance Ministry Dawn White-Fosdick says they are willing to help.

“We can send an outreach worker out there. That outreach worker could also start talking to the city council districts outreach worker that's assigned to that area,” White-Fosdick said.

Rivera said she doesn't want the homeless forced out with nowhere to go. Rather, she just wants the disturbances to stop.

“They're asking them for money. They're wanting food. They're wanting water. And when you're riding a bicycle, and you have a toddler with you, or - you know - you're pushing a stroller, that's the last kind of encounter you really want to have,” Rivera said.