Cheyenne officials outline steady encampment cleanups, say long-term solution remains elusive

Eric Fountain, director of community services for the city of Cheyenne, told the council during the May 11 budget work session that code enforcement and cleanup work around homeless encampments has become a daily, resource-intensive task.

"We are cleaning up hundreds of needles and our staff...we've been very fortunate," Fountain said, describing repeated relocations when campsite clusters are cleared. He said crews recover stolen goods, bicycles and large amounts of discarded clothing after cleanups.

The nut of the council discussion was operational: staff seal vacant properties, remove trash and enforce laws against stolen shopping carts that are commonly used to move belongings. Fountain said well-intentioned donations can worsen the problem when they are distributed without storage or refrigeration options, creating more discarded material at sites.

Fountain also highlighted the limits of on-the-ground cleanups. ‘‘You clean up MLK, they move over to First Street. You clean up First Street, they move over to Norris Buck,’’ he said, summarizing the recurring pattern. He described the effort as “whack-a-mole” and argued persistent work and consistent enforcement have some success at reducing repeat encampments.

Council members pressed for preventive design changes at specific problem sites. Councilman Leburn discussed the heavily wooded area near the Westland Road bridge and urged physical design changes similar to recent work on Lincoln Way to make sites harder to occupy. Fountain said those engineering choices have helped: modifications to bridge designs and increased police presence after dark reduce reoccupation, but staff also need support from engineers and other divisions.

The council and staff discussed health risks at camps, including open fires and widespread needle litter. Fountain told the council his crews have not yet had direct contact injuries from needles but are finding thousands during cleanups. He warned of children present at some camps and cited public-health and safety concerns as reasons for continuing active enforcement and outreach.

Fountain said outreach providers such as Kama and Welcome Mat are part of the response, but not everyone opts into services. He said a small but persistent group—about "20 people"—regularly declines available programs, while others do accept help and integrate into housing when they choose to participate.

Members and staff noted that engineering, coordinated cleanup schedules and better-targeted outreach will need to be part of any long-term approach. The work session did not produce a formal vote or new funding allocation; it focused on documenting operational needs that staff say will shape future budget proposals.

The council adjourned the session and scheduled further department budget hearings for the next day.