City of Ventura police officers approach a homeless encampment in the Santa Clara river bottom, on August 19 2013. City employees carried out the eviction of homeless persons who had been camping in the river bottom, due to the City facing fines for sanitation violations.

Karen, a resident of the encampment in the Santa Clara river, cleans out her tent as she prepares to vacate the camp on August 19 2013.

An encampment in the Santa Clara river bottom sits abandoned on the morning of August 19 2013. Authorities evicted homeless residents who had been camping there, some for years, due to Ventura County facing fines due to sanitation concerns.

Karen takes a break from packing up her encampment on the morning of August 19 2013. Many of the residents had lived in the camps for years, building a strong sense of community.

Leo Lopez breaks down his tent in the Santa Clara river bottom on August 19 2013.

Peter Brown, the City of Ventura’s community services manager, directs police and volunteers helping to clear the homeless encampment on the morning of August 19 2013.

The pit bull belonging to one of the camp residents, protects her week old litter of puppies during the eviction of a homeless encampment on the morning of August 19 2013.

A litter of week old pit bull puppies sleep in a crib on the side of the road, during the eviction of a homeless encampment on August 19 2013. City of Ventura employees took the puppies to the pound to be put up for adoption.

The belongings of a homeless encampment resident sit with a note to City employees on the morning of August 19 2013. Residents were evicted from the Santa Clara river bottom due to the City of Ventura facing a $25,000 per day fine from the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board for sanitation concerns.

Volunteers help clean out one of the larger encampments in the Santa Clara river bottom on August 19th 2013. The resident at this camp had refused to leave because she suffers from mental health issues and had nowhere to go.

Bulldozers cleared out trash and the remains of homeless camps in the Santa Clara river bottom on August 19 2013.

Linda (left) carries out the last of her belongings as bulldozers enter the encampment where she lived in the Santa Clara river bottom. Residents were allowed two trash bags of belongings, a bike, and whatever they could fit into a small storage bin, which the City of Ventura offered to hold for 90 days.

Bulldozers transfer the remains of homeless encampments to a dumpster on August 19 2013. 40 tons of waste and debris were removed from the river bottom encampments, as the City of Ventura cleared the river to comply with sanitation standards.

Shenae, who had been living with other homeless in the Santa Clara river bottom, cries as she contemplates where to go next. Many of those evicted had nowhere to go, having no friends or family in the area, or a means of transportation to leave.