A Metrolink track and structure contractor removes a homeless encampment along the Arrow right of way between D Street and Arrowhead Avenue near the San Bernardino-Downtown Station.
At Metrolink, keeping customers and community members safe is our top priority, and securing our right of way through our homeless encampment cleanup program is one way we are working to deliver the safest possible operation. This initiative, conducted in collaboration with law enforcement, helps keep illegal trespassers away from our tracks while moving vulnerable individuals out of unsafe environments.
So far this year, Metrolink and our law enforcement partners, led by the Los Angeles and San Bernardino County sheriff’s departments with some support from local jurisdictions, have removed 269 homeless encampments along the right of way. The comprehensive cleanup effort has targeted segments of the Olive, Orange, Perris Valley, River, San Gabriel, Valley and Ventura subdivisions in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. This extensive coverage ensures that high-risk areas within our network are regularly monitored, and issues are promptly addressed.
In addition to relocating unhoused individuals away from the dangers of an active rail system, the encampment cleanup program protects Metrolink’s daily service by keeping the right of way secure and free from unauthorized intruders. Ongoing efforts have been instrumental in reducing train delays due to vandalism and trespasser strikes.
This effort is a testament to the power of collaboration. By fostering strong partnerships with law enforcement and local community groups, we are better able to address the complex challenges posed by dual homelessness and mental health crises and implement effective solutions to deter trespassing and keep riders and bystanders safe.