For months, residents have raised concerns about people living in the woods behind Vern Riffe School.
This week, those concerns took another turn when Portsmouth police were called to the area for reports of garbage, a fire, and what appeared to be an unauthorized building project.
Police responded around 9 a.m. after a caller reported that a homeless man had once again piled garbage along a sidewalk near the school property.
According to the report, the caller also stated the man had posted a “No Trespassing” sign and had started a fire in the wooded area earlier that morning.
🚨 FROM CAMP TO CONSTRUCTION SITE?
When officers arrived, they found a situation that had apparently grown far beyond a simple campsite.
The man agreed to leave the area with a representative from a local drug treatment program.
But the investigation didn’t end there.
Police requested assistance from city code enforcement.
According to the report, the city’s building inspector determined the man appeared to be attempting to construct a roughly 200-square-foot structure in the woods.
The inspector advised that no permits had been obtained for the project.
🔥 FIRE CHIEF ASKED TO INVESTIGATE
The report also indicates the Portsmouth Fire Chief was notified about the fire that had reportedly been burning earlier in the day.
Officials planned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fire.
While campfires and warming fires are common in homeless encampments, fires near wooded areas, schools, and residential neighborhoods can quickly become dangerous, particularly during dry conditions.
🏫 A GROWING ISSUE NEAR THE SCHOOL
SCDN has previously reported on concerns involving homeless camps and unauthorized activity in the wooded areas near Vern Riffe School.
Residents have repeatedly reported:
- People entering school property
- Trash accumulation
- Fires
- Encampments
- Suspicious activity in the woods
This latest call suggests the situation may be escalating beyond temporary camping and into something more permanent.
⚖️ THE BIGGER CHALLENGE
The incident highlights a difficult issue communities across Southern Ohio continue to face.
On one hand, many people living in camps are struggling with homelessness, addiction, mental illness, or a combination of all three.
On the other hand, schools, neighborhoods, and property owners are left dealing with concerns about safety, sanitation, fires, and unauthorized structures.
In this case, the immediate problem was resolved when the individual agreed to leave with treatment providers.
Whether that solves the larger issue behind Vern Riffe School remains to be seen.
👀 WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
City code officials and fire officials are expected to review the situation further.
The incident may also renew questions about what should be done with the growing number of encampments that continue to appear in wooded areas throughout Portsmouth.
For now, one thing is clear:
When a homeless camp starts generating fire calls, building inspections, and piles of garbage near a school, local officials tend to take notice.
