State Of New Hampshire Finally Cleaning Up Massive Concord Homeless Camp; Parcels For Sale

CONCORD, NH — State and local officials have hired a Massachusetts firm to clean out a massive homeless camp off Storrs Street, the scene of several fires, criminal incidents and investigations, and other issues.

The state of New Hampshire, specifically the DOT, owns two parcels, two-thirds of an acre, at 105 S. Main St. and Sexton Avenue, while a city owns another adjacent parcel, 8-10 Sexton Avenue. The New England Commercial Property Exchange website lists the parcels as being on the market for $1.1 million. The NH DOT posted no trespassing sites and warned campers to vacate the land in early February.

On one of the “no camping” signs, someone attempted to scratch out the word “no.”

During the last week or two, Concord police have been at the site as New England Trauma Services, a cleanup company based out of Mansfield, Massachusetts, with a Londonderry location, has been at the site.

The company, according to its website, specializes in “bio-remediation,” as well as cleaning up homicide and suicide scenes, hoarding, fentanyl and drug site cleanup, as well as safety training. Despite having a media page touting its services as well as tips and other information, a woman who answered the phone at the company’s Mansfield office refused to provide any information about what state agency was performing the cleanup so Patch could find out its cost via a right-to-know request or public records.

According to state records, the New Hampshire Department of Administrative Services has a standing contract with the company through September 2025, for up to $100,000 in cleanup services. In the contract, the company agreed to bill the state for services, as needed, at $70 an hour on weekdays, $85 on weekends, and $1.50 per pound for biohazard waste disposal. Solid waste disposal under the contract is 50 cents per pound.

There are no records available showing how much the state is paying to clean up the site. Officials from the NH DOT did not return emails seeking information about the cleanup before post time.

The camps at Sexton Avenue and Storrs Street, which are on a slope, have been growing for several years after Pan Am cleared much of the brush and growth out of some parts of the railroad tracks behind 50 and 80 Storrs St. earlier this year and Brixmor organized a cleanup of the railroad tracks north of the site behind Market Basket three years ago. According to online maps, the city owns a half-acre parcel next to the state parcels with homeless camps. The company is also cleaning up that site.

Deputy Chief John Thomas of the Concord Police Department said the city and state were sharing in the cleanup costs. He did not know the exact amount of money being spent. Thomas said officers at the scene were on duty in case of any issues.

While clearing the area, New England Trauma Services found dozens of propane tanks, small canisters, and grocery carts from half a dozen stores on Storrs Street and Loudon Road. A catalytic converter for a Subaru was also found.

News 603 recorded some of the cleanup work and posted this video on Facebook.

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