City of Ithaca Looks to Clear “The Jungle”

The City of Ithaca’s Department of Public Works has started clearing out the area in the city where a number of homeless people find shelter, nicknamed “The Jungle”. Back in December, a 53-year-old homeless man was killed after his tent caught fire, and the city was unable to get a fire truck to the area. According to officials, the city was unable to run fire hoses over the railroad tracks without prior approval, which delayed their efforts. Now the DPW has began to clear out the area, while the city looks for housing for the remaining residents. Ithaca has also added a gate and access road to allow service and emergency vehicles to reach the area in the future. Student groups from Ithaca College and Cornell University are also assisting with the cleanup.