KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Concerns continue about the Knoxville homeless population after a north Knoxville woman says someone took a table from her porch, and she found it next to a woman sleeping under the 6th Avenue Bridge.
That's the interstate bridge that goes over 6th Avenue at the corner of Glenwood in North Knoxville near Fourth and Gill and First Creek.
The area is north and east of where many homeless gather, at the day space near Knox Area Rescue Ministry and the Salvation Army on Broadway.
Margareth Olsson said she was at her son's house having dinner earlier this week and when she returned home, something was missing.
"I see that my porch table was gone. It made me very upset and humiliated that someone would come actually on to my porch when it was still daylight and pick up a porch table and take it," Olsson said.
So, she posted in her neighborhood Facebook group and neighbors responded with suggestions.
Olsson decided to go look around the next morning.
"Around 7 the next morning, I walk around along with my pepper spray and I walked around and lo and behold there was my table up at the ramp by the 6th Avenue. And I just walked up there and picked up the table next to a sleeping woman," Olsson said.
10News spoke with several neighbors in the area, and they said they often see homeless people walking around.
Olsson said she's called the police several times to help clean up some areas, but she's never felt like she's in danger.
"I've never felt threatened. I feel fine about that," Olsson said.
Last year, the city cleared out homeless camps further south under the I-40 overpass on Broadway near downtown and created a day space.
The city said they are routinely seeing 50 to 60 people there and said Volunteer Ministry center's Outreach Program has connected 87 people with housing services, and five have gotten permanent housing.
The city also said in an email, "This is difficult work, but even people in seemingly the worst, most impossible circumstances can, with help, make it off the streets and on to a better life."
In March, city and outreach leaders held a meeting in South Knoxville to address residents' concerns about homelessness in the area. At that meeting, residents said they believed an increase in homelessness in the area had something to do with the day space.
At the meeting, Knoxville Police Officer Thomas Clinton, the Knoxville Police Department's homeless outreach liaison, said he hasn't seen the same people who lived under the overpass in South Knoxville.
The city said on Wednesday that in regards to South Knoxville, some chose to go to KARM and others went to nearby locations. It said social service agencies, Knoxville Police and the city's Public Service Department continue to work to address specific issues at camp locations as they come up.
The city said in an email, "Our objective is not simply to disperse or relocate camps, but to do everything we can to encourage and help people to use the shelter and other resources available to help them get off the streets."
The City said, it is also supporting a collaboration between, "Volunteer Ministry Center and The Salvation Army to convert the old thrift store on the Salvation Army's property into a small 'low-barrier' shelter that will specifically serve people who are for whatever reason not able or willing to access the current shelter at KARM. KARM remains the primary overnight shelter, but this new facility will supplement that, and help us reduce the number of people who remain outside at night."
Olsson said she wants to see more services for people experiencing homelessness because she cares a lot about her neighborhood.
She moved to North Knoxville a year ago to be closer to her son and grandchildren, and she helped revive First Creek Park.
"When you have the next generation, so whatever I can do I can do and other people have been supportive," Olsson said.