As the Truckee River threatened to overflow in recent days, many who usually live along its banks inside tents decided to take advantage of improved relief sleeping options being offered by the city of Reno at Wooster High. But when these options were no longer offered, the homeless made their way back to their old encampment sites, only to find some of their belongings ruined or under water. This is a photo series by our newest Our Town Reno contributor Holly Hutchings.
For those who make their home here, coming back to their belongings has been disheartening. If their camp sites are still somewhat intact, everything is soaked. "It was all wet," Catherine Clark said. "Everything that I had there that was dry, even the tent, is wet. Inside and out."
The Truckee River rages across from the Grand Sierra Resort earlier this week. Many tents can be found nestled in this area. Most of the residents of this small tent city left their belongings and found shelter elsewhere as the river rose earlier this month.
This tent which once stood as a shelter is now in shambles with its previous inhabitants nowhere in sight.
Some of those returning to live along the river found a wet, muddy mess, when they returned to their camps.
Clark takes a break from cleaning out her tent. She has spent the morning removing all she owns and airing it out to dry. "I've been here nonstop, up until the other night, for a year. I've got nowhere to go," she said.
Photo Series and Reporting by Holly Hutchings