The story KUAM brought you over the weekend about an encampment in Central Guam has generated quite the response from the island community. Pago Bay’s once-pristine shoreline is now a battleground between enforcement and empathy - makeshift shelters, abandoned cars, and growing piles of waste paint a stark picture of a deeper crisis: homelessness.

Now, key agencies are stepping in, meeting this morning with the Department of Parks & Recreation to find a way forward.

GovGuam agencies met to coordinate efforts to address the growing encampment issue at Pago Bay. The meeting, led by the DPR and its Park Police, brought together officials from the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Public Works, the Office of Homelessness and Poverty Prevention, the Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Statistics & Plans to finalize plans for cleanup and support for displaced residents.

Leading the charge is Park Police chief Joey Terlaje, who stresses that this operation is not just about clearing the area but also about providing real solutions. "The director, Angel Sablan, had mentioned its not going to be a bulldozer approach," he detailed. "Our approach to this situation will be with sensitivity, compassion and with good heart. And from now until March 10 for them to leave, we're working with OHAPP to identify an area for them for shelter, a little bit more better."

Officials are now assessing the heavy equipment and personnel needed to safely and efficiently remove debris and restore the area. Environmental concerns are also at the forefront, as officials address the impact of makeshift living structures and trash accumulation on Pago Bay’s fragile ecosystem.

Beyond cleanup, agencies are also working to connect affected individuals and families with housing and support services to prevent further displacement. Rob San Agustin, director for the Division of Homelessness and Poverty Prevention, says that he was able to meet with the Yona and Ordot-Chalan Pago mayors, DPR, and property owners last week and did a site visit.

San Agustin said, "We took a look at the area, we're just assessing if there were any kids there, families how many may be there. From what we heard there may be up to 50 people from the Pago Bay residents and owners.  We took a look around to see what we were working with."

But with the eviction deadline fast approaching, the community is left wondering: where will these families go? And what long-term solutions are in place to prevent this cycle from continuing?  "The main goal is getting them safe and stable," he continued. "And making sure that they have everything that they need. If they don't receive services right away, we still keep in contact with them, it's part of the case management we get their info, and we try to make sure that whatever resource they need from us that they have them."

For now, the Park Police and partner agencies say they are committed to a balanced approach, one that restores public spaces while ensuring the well-being of those forced to leave them behind.