Add arson, poultry, and piles of trash to the ever-growing list of issues plaguing Portsmouth’s homeless camps.
Just after 9 a.m., a man walked into the Portsmouth Police Department to report a theft at the Doyle’s Landing homeless camp, one of nine major encampments within city limits.
But when officers arrived at the riverside site, they didn’t just find a theft — they found a burned-down tent, loose chickens, and a mountain of trash that looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie.
🐔 Camp Clutter and Chicken Chaos
According to officers, the man’s belongings had been torched by fellow campers, and livestock — yes, actual chickens — were running around the smoldering remains. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but one thing was clear: this camp was out of control.
Despite the chaos, officers were able to recover the man’s remaining belongings and send him on his way.
🏚️ The Bigger Problem: Camps Growing, Solutions Stalling
Doyle’s Landing is just one of nine known large-scale homeless camps within Portsmouth’s city limits — and it’s become a hotbed of crime, sanitation issues, and increasingly bizarre scenes. From five-gallon bucket toilets to uncontrolled fires, residents nearby say the camps are growing more dangerous by the day.
City officials have promised a homeless task force, but so far, it’s been more talk than action, while police and code enforcement are left cleaning up the fallout.
📢 Bottom line? If your tent is burning, your chickens are running wild, and your neighbors are stealing your stuff — it’s not a camp. It’s a crisis. And Portsmouth is full of them.
