The city of North Bend is grappling with an increase in criminal tresspass/illegal camping complaints from residents about transients. One particular area where people have noted problems is in the brushy area behind the Bi-Mart and Albertson stores on Newmark Avenue.-World Photo by Lou Sennick

NORTH BEND — Don’t pitch your tent here.

That’s what police are telling transients who’ve been camping illegally in several areas around town.

To alleviate the problem, North Bend Police officers are working with property owners to stamp out the recent rise in illegal camping by asking them to post “no trespassing” signs. Doing so gives police the go-ahead to remove the squatters.

 “We’ve always had a bit of a transient problem but it seems a little more serious of a transient problem this year than it did last year,” said North Bend Police Capt. Ron Akers.

On July 5, there were four complaints of criminal trespassing and illegal camping in and around the Bi-Mart shopping center. Another hot spot, Akers said, is the parcel of vacant land across Virginia Avenue from the Pony Village Mall, as well as near city shops in the 1800 block of Hamilton Avenue.

Although he hasn’t heard about transients at those specific sites, Bill Parham, the executive director South Coast Gospel Mission in Coos Bay, said there are multiple outdoor locations in the Bay Area where the homeless sleep. He also noted a rise in people visiting the mission — about 10 more than usual — which he blamed on the poor state of the economy.

“I don’t believe they should be allowed to camp out in those places,” Parham said.

The transients are creating a mess on private property, Akers said. They leave garbage and excrement around makeshift campsites. A deeper fear for police is squatters’ campfires, which could potentially start an uncontrollable blaze. The captain said he believes five or six campers  — both men and women — are involved.

“The property owners don’t want them on the property creating a mess and possible fire hazard, too. We’re asking them ‘Hey, post your property ... and we’ll check on it to make sure they’re not staying there,’” Akers said.  

The no trespassing signs tell potential campers that they can’t stay there, the captain added.

“It gives us a little more clout because we know no one is supposed to be on the property and we can check them out,” Akers said. “They like to stay around where there is easy access to stores.”

MetroCom Development, which has owned the North Bend Bi-Mart shopping center and some of the land behind it since July 1, already has posted signs. Eugene resident Ramin Shojai, a managing member of the company, said police contacted him Monday, asking him to work with them to reduce the property’s appeal to transients.

So far, he’s put up several no trespassing signs in the area, and plans to cut back brush to increase visibility. He said he installed the signs on Tuesday and gave police leave to arrest anyone who was there without his permission.

“We are looking to see how we can make it more easier for the police to do their job,” Shojai said.

He said he saw what appeared to be a campsite with mattresses, wooden pallets and trash behind the Bi-Mart.

“We don’t want any person illegally there ... who could adversely effect the mood and lifestyle of the residents and people who shop in the center,” he said.

Akers said staff are working to contact other property owners where squatters have been found.

“We feel for the people that are homeless, but when people complain that someone is trespassing we have to act,” Akers said.