One of two relatively new homeless campsites in urban Honolulu was shut down early yesterday morning by the state Sheriff's Department and the Department of Public Safety.

The homeless campers on Iwilei Road, just off Nimitz Highway and near the Institute for Human Services, started gathering their belongings into trash bags and grocery carts shortly before 6 a.m. as light rain started to fall.

By 7 a.m., deputies from the Sheriff's Department showed up to help and also to make sure campers complied with the eviction.

The Sheriff's Department has been monitoring the area the past month following several complaints of safety and health problems, said Louise Kim McCoy, communications director for the Department of Public Safety. On Saturday, campers were notified they had 48 hours to leave.

"We want to be as sensitive as we can to their needs, but we're here to make this area safe again for people who live and work in the area," McCoy said. "There has been a lot of complaints about increased criminal activity in this area, and people didn't feel safe walking by on the sidewalk. It was a lot of drug use and other drug offenses, and there were also health issues because of people defecating and urinating in public."

That all came to head Thursday night when deputies arrested four homeless people staying at the campsite on suspicion of several criminal offenses, including drug use and outstanding warrants. All remained in jail.

McCoy said six social-service agencies have been contacted to help those evicted, but no specific destination for them was apparent.

"The River of Life has a representative here, and the Light House is also helping," McCoy said. "We're trying to help them as much as we can."

Elizabeth Talaeai, who is confined to a wheelchair, had been staying at the campsite with four others in her group the past three months. Yesterday morning, she could only watch as friends packed her belongings into trash bags and attached other items to grocery carts. She was making sure her rocking chair was going wherever she went.

"I've been homeless lots and lots," said Talaeai, who has also been kicked out of Honu Park, Kaka'ako, Fisherman's Wharf, Ala Moana, and sites along the Wai'anae Coast. "The law says move on, so we must move on. But we don't know what we'll do next. All our good people here will go by the river in 'A'ala Park, put our chairs together and have a good meeting.

"I don't say nothing, but I'm surprised that they usually always give a place to go. ... At least the River of Life is feeding us. I have to keep cool and calm and control everything I have."

One urban homeless campsite remains along the Ala Moana Beach Park wall that runs next to Ala Moana boulevard. Over the past few weeks, some 30 people have slept on or near the wall, some setting up tents or sleeping bags, and one had a cot last night.

McCoy said she couldn't say if that area would be targeted next.

"We're here to clean this area right now, and that's all," she said.

Reach Dave Dondoneau at ddondoneau@honoluluadvertiser.com.