Philadelphia's Kensington Avenue transformed Wednesday as city officials and police cleared homeless encampments in a large-scale cleanup operation. Touted as an "encampment resolution," the action was part of Philly’s contentious struggle to address homelessness and drug addiction in a neighborhood that has long wrestled with these issues.

The stretch of Kensington Avenue from East Orleans Street to Allegheny Avenue was shut down early in the morning to dismantle tents and makeshift shelters. According to FOX29, the roadway was deemed "officially resolved" following the operation. Local residents have had mixed reactions, acknowledging the cleanup as a positive step but voicing concerns about the persistence of underlying problems.

The city's move to assist those affected began ahead of the cleanup, with reports by NBC Philadelphia indicating that, by 10 a.m., 36 individuals had accepted treatment. Philadelphia's Director of Public Safety, Adam Geer, expressed that work will continue beyond the immediate cleanup, saying, "We will have resources in the area making sure it doesn't return to what it was." He also emphasized that if anyone attempts to set up camp again within the next 72 hours, the encampment will be promptly removed.

The long-term plan for those who refuse treatment has not been shared, with officials citing privacy reasons for the secrecy. "They can't keep putting a Band-Aid on a problem this major. It's not ok to do," Rosalind Pichardo, the director of Operation Save Our City, told 6abc. Her sentiment was echoed by locals and activists alike, who pushed for sustainable solutions to a crisis that has deeply affected the community for years.

Amidst the cleanup, community members like Bryan Wimer, who is 16 years clean, were present on Kensington Avenue to offer support. Wimer expressed a unique hope towards the recent initiative: "I've never seen an initiative like what's going on today," he mentioned via 6abc.