Biddeford city officials on Monday cleared the remnants of a homeless encampment along the Saco River, with promises that they will help the people who were staying there find permanent housing.

July 8 marked the deadline set by the city council and Mayor Martin Grohman a month ago to have the encampment cleared. The city is planning a construction project along the river in August, but in a June 5 interview Grohman insisted that the project was not the principal motivation for removing the camp.

“Living outside in an encampment is not a dignified existence for anyone,” Grohman said at the time. “We’ve been looking for a solution and that next step for some time.”

On Monday afternoon, a major operation was underway at the camp. Police officers monitoring the entrance said most of the residents had been relocated. The work was done in an orderly fashion, they said, with no arrests or injuries.

Farther inside, more police were moving through the area, talking with what few homeless residents remained. A large school bus was parked at the scene, with city officials on hand working with homeless residents. 

Meanwhile, heavy equipment, including dump trucks, a miniature bulldozer and a backhoe equipped with a bucket and claw, were removing piles of debris.

The city of Biddeford used heavy equipment, including dump trucks and a backhoe, to clear out debris from a homeless encampment next to Mechanics Park Monday. (Spectrum News/Sean Murphy)

At times, by some estimates, more than 40 people had lived in the camp. Officials have said they are working with local charitable organization Seeds of Hope and the Second Congregational Church to find temporary and ultimately permanent housing for the camp’s residents.

One resident, however, wasn’t convinced the city would be able to help. Rita McDaniel, 61, had spent time in the camp before. She got into temporary housing once, but after 30 days she said she was kicked out because she couldn’t get into permanent housing.

When asked why, she said, “Because there was none. There weren’t no apartments that I could afford.”

McDaniel said she worried about friends she had who were among the camp’s residents. She said the statewide housing crisis combined with a flawed system make it impossible for some to find housing, despite the government’s good intentions.

“They’re not helping nobody,” she said. “If they did, these people would have someplace to live.”

The city of Biddeford cleared out the remains of a homeless encampment next to Mechanics Park on Monday. Officials are working with residents and local aid groups to find temporary and permanent housing. (Spectrum News/Sean Murphy)