Residents of makeshift tent city fight eviction efforts

(NECN: Greg Wayland, East Providence, RI) – Homeless advocates say it is a sign of the bad economic times — crowded shelters and tent cities of the homeless cropping up around the country. In Providence, Rhode Island, state officials are going to court Friday to force residents of one tent city out of their location under an interstate bridge. About 30 people who live in a tent city under a highway overpass in East Providence are resisting state orders to move. Megan Smith, a spokeswoman for the makeshift community dubbed Camp Runamuck, says residents will not go quietly. Police last week posted notices of a court hearing at three homeless sites in Providence and East Providence, including Camp Runamuck. State officials say the sites on state-owned land beneath Interstate 195 are unsafe and unsanitary. A hearing on the Camp Runamuck eviction is scheduled for Friday in Providence Superior Court. Social service agencies have begun working with some residents. *Material from The Associated Press used in this report*