EAST PROVIDENCE - The City of East Providence unofficially picked up a few more residents earlier this week when a couple dozen members of Providence’s “Tent City” made a trip across the Seekonk River. After being threatened with eviction from a location just off South Water Street in Providence, where demolition is set to take place on pieces of the old Interstate 195 bridge, members of “Camp Runamuck” landed on East Providence shores late Sunday afternoon.

About 24 hours later, a handful of tents had been pitched underneath the Washington Bridge at an area just down the road from the East Providence Yacht Club, Bold Point Park and the Old Oyster House. By Tuesday evening, the number of homeless living under the bridge had grown and included about a dozen tents.

Camp spokesman and founder John Freitas said the spot in E.P. was found during a scouting expedition last weekend. The piece of land occupied by the camp is owned by the State of Rhode Island.

Even though Mr. Freitas said the camp now totals about 80 residents, less than half of this number have made their way across the river. Mr. Freitas said one of the reasons for this is that the group is waiting to see how “things will go” in East Providence, including how local officials will respond and if the state will find a reason to have them removed. Additionally, Mr. Freitas said it takes awhile to move so many people between locations with only one boat - the Leaky Lena II.

For at least one camp resident, setting up in E.P. was a type of homecoming. Mike MacEwen, a camp founder, graduated from East Providence High School in 1992.

“I’m loving this. This is great,” he said.

“I think we could really do this well. Even for the winter.”

When they arrived in the city, Mr. Freitas said that the initial group of campers was greeted by East Providence Police Officers. Since the piece of property occupied by the camp is state owned, however, city officials have limited to no power in removing Runamuck residents.

On Tuesday night at 11 p.m. East Providence Police arrested three individuals at the spot for disorderly conduct. Lt. Charles Swenson said the individuals were to be arraigned on Wednesday morning.

Immediate concerns

While the camp is stationed in an industrial zone removed from any nearby residential neighborhoods, City Councilman Brian Coogan (whose ward contains the campsite) said he wasn’t thrilled with Runamuck coming to town.

“I’m concerned about residents and their kids. Supposedly there are a couple of sex offenders in there. I’m concerned about how they’re going to the bathroom, indecent exposure,” Mr. Coogan said. “I feel bad for those people, my heart goes out to them. But it seems like more and more people are coming.”

Since tent city first started coming together in late March, state officials have maintained no one should be living in a tent. The story isn’t any different now that a move to East Providence seems underway.

Amy Kempe, a spokesperson for Gov. Donald Carcieri, said that a number of state agencies, including the department of transportation, the office of housing and community development and the department of human services are working with community agencies such as Crossroads to help the homeless living in Camp Runamuck.

Ms. Kempe said case workers are currently trying to determine what populations are included in the camp, such as adults forced into the street by a down economy, individuals suffering from mental illness, or teenagers who have fled DCYF custody.

“The answer is not relocating tent city,” Ms. Kempe said. “The answer is working with these individuals to get them the resources they need. Nobody should be living in a tent and the state will not and cannot endorse a tent city located anywhere. It doesn’t matter what bridge it’s under. It isn’t appropriate. It isn’t the answer. The answer is helping these individuals find a permanent solution and a permanent shelter.”

Helping hands

One of the groups working with tent city residents is the Richard Rodi Foundation. Mr. Rodi said his foundation has tried to work with these homeless individuals by offering them computers and telephones for job searches. He also said the situation isn’t a city problem, but a state problem.

As for their current spot in E.P., Mr. Rodi asked “who are they bothering?”

In the meantime, at least temporarily, members of Camp Runamuck continue to camp out in East Providence. Mr. Freitas said that for the last couple of days there have been a number of curious passersby, something he has a “mixed feeling” about.

“Different people react differently to us,” he said.