A twist has been added to California's homeless crisis after people were found living in eight caves, some furnished, dug into the bank of the Tuolumne River.
Modesto police, a volunteer organization Operation 9-2-99, and the Tuolumne River Trust teamed to remove 7,600 pounds of trash Saturday from the caves, KVOR-TV in Sacramento reported Wednesday.
The caves, some as wide as 10 feet, were located about 20 feet below street level and accessible through makeshift stairs built into the riverbank. It is unknown who dug the caves and how long they had been there.
"This particular area has been plagued by vagrancy and illegal camps, which have raised concerns due to the fact that these camps were actually caves dug into the riverbanks," the Modesto Police Department wrote in a Facebook post.
The police department wrote it was working with various agencies to assist the former cave dwellers with resources while the caves were being cleared.
California has the largest population of homeless, with more than twice as many as any other state, according to the 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
KVOR reported one of the caves was fully furnished with bedding, food, items on a makeshift mantel, drugs, and weapons.
"We had a hard time figuring out how they got so much stuff down in there, considering how hard it was to get it up the hill and out," Chris Guptill, coordinator for Operation 9-2-99, told KVOR.
Guptill, who was among the volunteers to clear the caves, said this wasn't the first time the group found caves in the area.
"We really don't have a known solution on how to deal with it," he said.
KVOR reported that in November 2022, caves were found in the same location in Stanislaus County, which includes Modesto, but they were not as elaborate.
The City of Modesto said it plans to destroy all of the caves and construct barricades preventing access to the river. The city will also post signage prohibiting residents from trespassing.
"The City recognizes the importance of not only addressing the immediate safety risks but also working toward a comprehensive solution to permanently eliminate these caves," the city said in a statement to KXTV in Sacramento.
"Our commitment is to navigate this situation with diligence, taking into account the structural safety of the surrounding areas. The safety and well-being of our community remain our top priorities, and we appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our residents during this process."
The Tuolumne River runs 142 miles from high in the Sierra Nevada west through Yosemite National Park and into Stanislaus County. The river ends at a junction with the San Joaquin River and, according to the Tuolumne River Trust, it supplies drinking water to more than 2.7 million people in the Bay Area.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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