200 homeless squatters invade downtown Casper, Wyoming, trash abandoned Econo Lodge

The town of Casper, Wyoming has been inundated with homeless people, with some estimates coming in at 200. 

The town is full of abandoned structures, but one that has been hit particularly hard is the Econo Lodge, which was closed in November 2022 due to flooding. Squatters moved in and caused millions of dollars in damage to the already dilapidated building, including leaving 500 pounds of human waste behind.

Vagrants have trashed abandoned structures, left feces in the streets, and generally created an atmosphere that has drawn condemnation from residents and municipal officials alike.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen," Casper Mayor Bruce Knell said in an interview with the Cowboy State Daily, "It's third-world country stuff."

Knell went on to explain that the influx of homeless people has left authorities struggling to find a solution, with City Council mulling a possible tightening of existing squatting laws. There are local resources to help the homeless.

"We know very well we cannot litigate our way or arrest our way out of the problem," Knell said, "but our police need some teeth to start dealing with the squatting."

As the Cowboy State Daily reports, the homeless population has taken over many areas of town, including parks and bike paths. An estimated 500 pounds of feces has been removed by maintenance workers in recent weeks.

In order to prevent homeless people from simply moving in wherever they please, the city council is considering setting time limits for squatting on private property, and requiring those who do to obtain written consent from the owner of the building.

As the Casper Star-Tribune reports, City Attorney Eric Nelson said the law would be used primarily to target those who pose a threat to the community.