Property owner cuts deal with city on Lansing’s largest homeless encampment 

City can bulldoze portion of site where 40 to 60 unhomed live; Judge Aquilina inspects camp

(This story has been updated. Because of a reporting error, an earlier version referred to “Mark Kerrins of ABC Supply.” Kerrins is a partner of 113 W. Michigan, L.L.C., which leases the land to ABC Supply.)

TUESDAY, Sept. 16 — The owner of a north Lansing building supply company cut a deal today with Lansing officials on a plan to push a piece of Lansing’s largest homeless encampment off his land, which is roughly located behind Piazzano’s restaurant on Grand River. 

Mark Kerrins, partner of 113 W. Michigan, which leases the land to ABC Supply, asked the city police to push the tents and structure off his land near Dietrich Park. He’s clearing the property of any trees or greenery and fencing it off to prevent any further encroachment.

The deal comes after the city of Lansing roped Kerrins into a lawsuit against a next-door neighbor, Nick Yono, who has had folks living in tents behind his warehouse at JAJ Property for as long as four years. It’s only been recently that the camp has spilled onto Kerrins’ land. 

“While everyone recognizes the unhoused in our community need help, Mr. Kerrins has the right to enjoy his own private property, be free from criminal trespassers, and to prevent unsanitary refuse dumping,” said Kerrins’ attorney, Michael Pattwell. 

The deal marks a significant step in the city’s attempt to address Lansing’s largest homeless encampment, a sprawling community hidden from the public in the woods but well-known to law enforcement. 

Asked about today’s development with Kerrins, city of Lansing spokesperson Scott Bean said, “It gets at least one of the property owners to cooperate and help clean up that property back there.” 

Over the years, reports of explosions, drug use, violence and sanitary complaints have stemmed from the encampment. But with few alternatives for the population, the unhomed end up here. It’s completely hidden from the public. Outside of the Camelot Hills apartment complex off Sadie Court, nobody lives nearby. 

Even police have steered the unhomed to the location after chasing them off public land, according to folks at the camp today. 

Estimates have between 40 and 60 people living between the Grand River and Piazzano’s, mostly on Yono’s property. The land is overseen by Yono, who is managed by Brent Cecil Morris. According to Morris, he has been negotiating with the city over the encampment for at least two and a half years. 

“We’ve been trying,” Morris said. “I actually got one of the police officers on video asking me, ‘Are they back?’ And I was like, ‘Well, I never got rid of them.’

“The police just wouldn’t help us.” 

The city of Lansing flagged him for a code violation, ordering the encampment to be dispersed, and that’s where the matter stands.  

But Yono hasn’t  been compliant either. Last month, Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina ordered porta-potties be brought out to the encampment on the property owners’ dime. 

Aquilina also ordered Yono to get an attorney to represent him in the courtroom.  

Today, the judge personally walked around the property with Assistant City Attorney Matthew Staples and several others. No porta-potties. No attorney for Yono or Kerrins. 

Instead, she personally weaved around enclosures of discarded boards holding up ripped tarps. Junk and debris scattered the landscape. Dogs barked as media, attorneys and city officials followed the Aquilina around. 

She twice asked a man who was fixing a chainsaw how long he’d been living at the encampment. He finally muttered “two years.” 

Another resident recognized the judge immediately. He told her he’d been in her courtroom six months prior. He’s still on a waiting list for housing, and he’s insisted that he’s straightening his life around. 

As for the long-term solution for the population, Bean said the city has homeless outreach and social workers urging people to accept help and services. He said Lansing City Rescue Mission is expanding and Holy Cross has room in its shelter. 

(Kyle Melinn is editor of the Capitol news service MIRS and a columnist for City Pulse.)