'This is one of the hotspots': Target 7 analyzes sidewalk camping citations
Generally, when Robert Hilgendorf looks out his window, he sees something few would envy.
“There's no reason in the United States of America, these people should be living like that,” Hilgendorf said.
His view is of Tennessee Street, where homeless camps have ridden the sidewalks for months.
“I can't get out of my car because the sidewalks are completely overtaken by tents,” Hilgendorf said.
But on Tuesday afternoon, persistence paid off.
“We stayed on it and kept making phone calls,” Hilgendorf said.
His view is now different than before, as the city has acted and cleaned the sidewalks.
“These people just need a place to go. There should be a law, where they don't allow open camping in the city,” he said.
In Albuquerque, there is a law against camping on sidewalks. It's city code 12-2-3. The order is criminal trespass, and it prohibits people from remaining on land that does not belong to them.
“The city has changed its policies with respect to certain areas, we are going to have a much quicker response time with respect to encampments. Those areas are sidewalks,” Mayor Tim Keller said.
Keller made that statement when he announced the closure of Coronado Park.
"It's an ADA issue. It is too dangerous to camp on a sidewalk for people trying to use the sidewalk,” Keller added.
Target 7 wanted to know how many people were cited for camping on sidewalks. So we combed through all citations given from Aug. 17, the date Coronado Park closed, until Oct. 1.
In that six-week period, six citations were given for camping on sidewalks.
We showed Hilgendorf the list. He was surprised to find that none were given on Tennessee Street.
“It's amazing, this is one of the hotspots,” Hilgendorf said.
Target 7 was also able to make another discovery, five of the six who already had a court date, did not show up and now have warrants out for their arrest.
“At some point, you know, the mayor and everybody got to get together and figure out a plan, you know,” said Hilgendorf.
While the sidewalk where Hilgendorf lives is clear for now, he realizes the reality of the problem. As he has seen it unfold from his window, time and time again.
"The police can only do so much. So, their hands are tied. They do not have enough staff. And that is just the way it is,” Hilgendorf said.
We reached out to the Albuquerque Police Department to find out more about sidewalk camping enforcement in a statement they said in part:
“Most encounters police have with people who may be criminal trespassing result in arrests on existing warrants. So, the criminal trespass may not be captured.”