EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (October 3, 2025) — A homeless camp that had formed behind City Saver Thrift in the Crown Hill Shopping Center was cleared in early October following a series of city code violations and enforcement actions.
City records show that on July 24, 2025, the Excelsior Springs Police Department notified Community Development officials of “an extensive amount of garbage, rubbish, and many other discarded items, including four tents with occupants” on the property at 115 Crown Hill Road
The site, which sits behind multiple businesses, including City Saver Thrift, had been the subject of repeated nuisance and property maintenance complaints throughout the summer, including tall weeds, debris, and unpermitted structures.
The property owner, based in New Jersey, received multiple notices from the Excelsior Springs Code Compliance Officer ordering the cleanup and removal of the encampment. When the site remained in violation after the August 8 deadline, a citation was issued, and the City warned that it would abate the property at the owner’s expense if the area was not cleared.
Emails later released under a Sunshine request show coordination between the property manager and city officials in early October as the cleanup was completed. The property manager confirmed that the area was fully cleared by October 4 and that police were on-site during the process to address trespassing concerns and prevent additional squatters from arriving
City officials confirmed that the case would be dismissed once compliance was verified. The cleanup brought an end to months of ongoing code enforcement at the property, which had also faced citations for parking lot damage, unpermitted sheds, and overgrown vegetation
City officials said they will continue to monitor the site for compliance and discourage further encampments from forming behind the shopping center.
Editor’s note: In an earlier draft of this article, we stated, “Doug Perry, operator of City Saver Thrift, was cited on September 4 for maintaining debris and rubbish behind the store. Perry is scheduled to appear in Excelsior Springs Municipal Court on October 14, 2025.” We were informed on 10/14/2025 at 3:27 pm that those charges were dropped at the request of the City of Excelsior Springs.
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