The city has put up fencing under the Mulberry Street Bridge in Harrisburg, the site of a former encampment.
A fence now surrounds the site of a former homeless encampment under the Mulberry Street Bridge, as Harrisburg begins a multi-week rodent extermination.
On Monday morning, crews worked to finish installing the fencing to keep people from going under the bridge while the city attempts to rid the area of what they have called a rat infestation, Communications Director Matt Maisel explained.
In mid-January, the city announced that it would evict those living under the bridge at one of Harrisburg’s largest homeless encampments, citing health and safety concerns. Officials said that crime had increased in the area, as well.
For several weeks, local nonprofits and members of the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness worked to assist residents with the move and provide resources. While about five residents remained in the area last week, all have now moved out, according to Maisel.
The extermination is set to begin Monday evening and will take six to eight weeks. During that time, no one will be allowed back into the area for safety reasons, or they will be considered to be trespassing, Maisel said.
About two weeks ago, the city’s public works department began cleaning the area. Any tents or items left behind under the bridge have since been disposed of, Maisel explained.
“We provided ample opportunities for help and transportation,” he said.
The city estimated that, before the evictions, as many as 70 people lived in or regularly visited the encampment. While Harrisburg officials designated a relocation site for those affected by the eviction, Maisel said that no one is currently residing there. Instead, many went to the large encampment beneath the I-83 bridge near the PennDOT building, and some entered rehabilitation centers or moved in with family members, he said.
Currently, city officials have no concerns about safety at the encampment near PennDOT, according to Maisel.
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