Trust land blossoms into homeless camp under BIA's watch

Tuesday, March 20, 2012  

About 45 members of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of California have seen their trust land become a homeless camp over the last couple of years.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs allowed a non-Indian businessman to use the empty lot to park vehicles. But Haki Dervishi, the owner of a convenience store adjacent to the property, instead transformed it into a makeshift shelter for 40 to 50 people.

“This land does not belong to Haki. He could have parked a couple of licensed vehicles and as you've seen it, it's gone beyond that,” Kevin Bearquiver, a deputy regional director for the BIA, told The Palm Springs Desert Sun.

The BIA is putting up a fence around the property to let people know they can no longer stay there. The local police department also has been granted authority to patrol the land.

Get the Story:
Officials: Clock is ticking on illegal homeless camp (The Palm Springs Desert Sun 3/20)