About 30 homeless people who live around the Lansdowne train station’s car park cleaned up the area on Saturday.
They have been living there for more than 15 years despite offers from the City to move them to shelters, said Ward 60 councillor Mark Kleinschmidt.
Mr Kleinschmidt said he had encouraged the homeless to clean the area, and they had filled nine rubbish bags.
The area was frequently used as an illegal dump by both Lansdowne residents and those coming from outside the area, he said.
There was no sanitation or running water for those squatting in the area and they regularly begged at residents’ door for money, he said, adding that people had also been seen drinking and using drugs in Lansdowne station’s railway reserve.
Michael Abrahams, one of the people living in the car park, said he wanted the area to be clean because he sold clothing there.
Ward 48 councillor Dr Zahid Badroodien, said that Crawford residents could not use the subway at the train station because the homeless dumped rubbish there and also used it as a toilet.
“I really discourage the public from giving them clothing and other items which are being dumped,” he said.