LANCASTER, Pa. — Some of Lancaster's homeless population is being forced to relocate after county officials told them they can no longer congregate outside county government buildings.
The decision comes as officials report an increase in crime and other public health and safety risks, including the presence of human waste and rodents. But according to Steve Berg, chief policy officer for the National Alliance to End Homelessness, homeless individuals face their own safety risks.
Berg said, "People who are homeless, they have to have somewhere to sleep, and they often find that they feel safer if they're gathered in a group of people...where they're not likely to be victims of crime."
But these groups have been disbanded outside the Lancaster County Government Center, forcing those who once found safety and shelter on its benches to find a new place to sleep. The new rule prevents homeless individuals from sleeping, camping or storing their belongings on, near or even on surrounding sidewalks of the property. County staff will continue to enforce these rules during the day with supplemental help from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police at night and on weekends.
Amber Strazzo Righter, communications manager for the City of Lancaster, said, "Asking individuals to leave without an immediate solution for shelter is a complex and sensitive issue."
The Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority is currently working to build shelters in the area, including the Clay Street low barrier shelter, and is expected to open 80 permanent shelter beds in December 2024.
However, even with these projects, Berg says this move was a step in the wrong direction.
“I think the the answer to this is not like making people move somewhere else because there's no somewhere else that is gonna be welcoming to people," Berg said.