City Plans to Evict Squatters From Park

Squatters are located in a remote part of Simpson Park Photo Courtesy: City of Albany

(ALBANY – AP) - Residents of a shanty town say they are about to become homeless, thanks to the City of Albany, which has decided to evict them from a park.

Last week the city council gave police authority to evict the squatters from a remote part of Simpson Park. The grant that paid for the park says the city is to manage it to preserve natural features.

Notices are expected this month.

One resident, Diana McFarland, says they aren't homeless and won't be until the city throws them out.

The shelters at the camp, called Camp Boondoggle are of wood and plastic but many have wood stoves and some have book shelves, wood floors and rocking chairs.

The city is preparing to make social services available to the squatters once they are evicted.