State officials to allow homeless veteran encampment to stay

Arizona officials have elected to allow a homeless encampment full of veterans to stay where it is.

The Arizona Republic reports that officials with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) said Tuesday that they will not force the removal of the homeless veterans camping near the Loop 202 in Mesa, but instead will try to connect them with services.

More than 30 homeless people, many of them veterans, are living in tents and makeshift structures on vacant land owned by ADOT. The camp had been on part of the Salt River Reservation, but moved when tribal officials ordered them to vacate.

The camp was organized by the group Veterans on Patrol and helps servicemen who may not be comfortable staying in enclosed spaces. Campers say they regularly receive donations from the surrounding community.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.