An advocate for homeless people continued his mission on Saturday to clean and rebuild homeless encampments. The encampment he visited is among the largest in San Jose.

Pastor Scott Wagers says what’s known as the “Bassett” Camp has been steadily growing in size and population in San Jose for two and a half years.

“The truth is, this camp is like an island unto itself. An island of poverty amid plenty, and it’s neglected. No one takes responsibility for it, except the residents that live here, but they’re cut off from the resources the rest of us that are housed have,” Wagers said.

That’s where Wagers, his congregation at the CHAM Deliverance Ministry and other local volunteers, come in.

“You got what you need. If you need more bags and whatever you need, we’ll provide it,” Wagers said.

Several dozen people met at the encampment in downtown San Jose on Bassett Street near First Street — Bagging up hundreds of pounds of trash, piling it up and dumping it all into a large bin to be hauled away and arranged by local business owner Mauricio Mejia.

“It’s incredible. It’s mind-boggling to see that there’s a wall that separates the civil world, and then what looks to be uncivil, and just like no one’s caring or really caring or taking care of these people,” Mejia said.

Aside from being located directly underneath the freeway, the homeless encampment also rests along the side of these Union Pacific Railroad tracks that are still active.

So, as you might imagine, living in this area is not only unsanitary but unsafe.

“Usually when camps are cleaned, they’re swept and the people move to another neighborhood. What we’re trying to do is stabilize this camp in the hopes that if we clean it up, and we’re able to rebuild it, we can show the city and show the community that homeless encampments can be productive,” Wagers said.

Last year, more than 150 homeless people died on the streets in Santa Clara County.

“San Jose has the third most homeless population in the country, following New York City and LA,” Jen Floor Mathews, a volunteer, said.

“Cleaning up trash is literally a way to keep people alive because with trash comes rodents and a plethora of diseases, and just unsanitary conditions that none of us want to live in and the people — it’s amazing that they actually survive,” Wagers said.

But, unfortunately, as we know, not all of them do.

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