katie neilson explains why illegal grow houses are popping up in quiet neighborhoods. >> reporter: this does not seem like the neighbor to find illegal grow houses that is why criminals are setting up here. in fact, three homes on this very street were rated just a few months ago. >> it is pretty much my man cave right here. >> he loves to tinker on projects in his garage. keeping a watchful eye on the neighborhood. that is why he was so surprised to see three houses on his street still had power during a blackout a few years ago. >> every house on the block will be dark but for those three. so, it was my intentions of going down there and talking to them and trying to figure out what did they have to keep their lights on, i was interested. >> reporter: he tried to watch for people to come home but rarely saw anyone. >> always was a white van. and it stay there for a few minutes and next thing you know it is gone and you would not see nothing, you know, for quite some time. >> that house was like a ghost house. >> all three of them. >> reporter: the department of cannabis control shared

katie neilson reports. >> reporter: this is one of two encampments the city is concerned about, thist 8th and harrison street on the west side of town. it wraps around two city blocks. dozens of tents on the sidewalks and rvs along the streets. now you have to walk down the middle of the street because the sidewalks are blocked. i have a sun in a wheelchair. if i had to bring him down here where is his access. >> reporter: he runs a shop that does screening and imprinting. their front door faces 8th street. >> a lot of people here, they have issues, substance abuse or mental health issues. >> reporter: he understands why the city feels the need to take action, he has seen the fire, the rats, the human waste. >> i don't think sweeping them up and moving them out and dumping them somewhere is a solution. >> in this street for seven years. >> reporter: she considering it home. she has been here since she was 2016 she was a graduate student. >> i had to make a tough choice between rent and tuition, i chose to go to school instead of paying my rent. and then i ended up buying an rv. it pr