Enter: Obama. Exit: Homeless

Washington: Frank Mearns is one of Washington's army of homeless who are being cleared from the center of the US capital ahead of Barack Obama's inauguration.

"There's a sweep on Thursday at 5 am," Mearns said. "Everyone's got to be out of here and stay out until next Thursday," the 37-year-old said.

'Here' is a space on 14th Street and New York Avenue, in the center of Washington that will be closed to traffic and heavily policed during the inauguration.