Marsha Curry-Nixon and Tim White of Amiracle4sure, along with other local officials, shared information about Harrisburg’s unhoused population during a press conference in the county administration building.
Occupants of Harrisburg’s largest homeless encampment will need to relocate in the coming weeks, and a local organization is offering an alternative.
Dauphin County, along with city officials and local providers, announced at a Thursday press conference that there will be a new site for unhoused people to pitch their tents, as PennDOT will soon restrict access to the current encampment area due to I-83 construction.
Officials have long acknowledged that the city’s encampment, which has had anywhere from 80 to 120 people living in it, near the PennDOT building in South Harrisburg, would need to clear out eventually. The encampment is situated near I-83, a highway that is undergoing massive, years-long construction by PennDOT. The state agency shared long ago that people could not be in the area once work began, but the timeline of when that move would need to happen has shifted with time.
Current encampment near I-83
In the Dauphin County Administration Building on Thursday, officials shared that the time is nearing, and they hope to have everyone cleared from the site by mid-August.
Harrisburg nonprofit Amiracle4sure has purchased a vacant plot of land for people to relocate to, near Cameron Street and off Shanois Street, not far from the current encampment. The nonprofit purchased the property for $670,000, funded with grant money awarded by the county.
“I know for sure that what we are doing at this time is very important to many members of our community,” said AMiracle4Sure executive director Marsha Curry-Nixon. “I do not see these individuals as strangers. I do not see them as homeless people. I see them as family […] As we transition, I want people to know that we care about those that we are transitioning.”
The newly paved site, which they’re calling “A Miracle Community,” is about the size of a football field and will be able to host a little over 60 tents, and possibly double as many people, according to Tim White of Amiracle4sure. Unhoused community members will be able to apply for 14-by-14-foot squares with pallets to set up tents on.
Additionally, there will be storage bins, porta-potties, a cooking area with grills, water access and trash pickup on site. Residents will also have an address for job application and mailing purposes and will have access to case management and resources.
According to Curry-Nixon, there will be a property manager providing day-to-day oversight of the area. Security cameras will also be installed on-site for the occupants’ safety and security of belongings.
The organization explained that it will balance promoting safety, while also respecting residents’ privacy. People who live on the site will not be closely monitored or micromanaged, Curry-Nixon said, but certain behaviors like violence will not be tolerated. For any substance use concerns, the team will encourage people to take advantage of help.
“We know and understand that there are some questions, there are some concerns and we are taking all of those concerns at bay, and we are going to make sure that everyone that comes to relocate to this community is safe,” Curry-Nixon said.
While Amiracle4sure received grant money for the land acquisition, they have yet to formalize a plan for additional costs of equipment and upkeep of the area. Officials said they will seek grants and donations.
“I have no doubt, because of the many people they’ve helped before, I have no doubt that they will do so with this new encampment,” said Randie Yeager, director of Dauphin County Human Services.
In the long term, the nonprofit is planning to construct affordable housing on the lot to help transition people into housing, as permanent housing production is an aspect of the grant they received for the project.
Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams spoke at the press conference in support of assisting the unhoused community, but outlined, what she said are the city’s limitations and concerns when it comes to the plan.
“Let me be clear, we are a compassionate city; we are a city of action; and we will continue to support our unhoused neighbors by doing what we have always done, providing critical services,” she said.
Williams said that the city will continue to provide essential services at the new site, such as police and fire response and trash pickup. However, she said that the city does not agree with the use of cooking equipment on-site, as officials have fire safety concerns.
For current encampment occupants who don’t choose to move to the new site, shelter assistance will be offered by local providers.
According to Mischelle Moyer, city communications director, if Harrisburg receives reports from property owners of unhoused people on their land, police officers will respond and may ask people to relocate.
“Our goal is never to punish but to maintain public safety and cleanliness while always treating people with dignity,” Moyer said in a statement. “We continue to encourage all of our unhoused residents to utilize the services and structured environment now being provided at the new location.”
The city has faced scrutiny in the past several years for its response to the city’s unhoused population. In January 2023, Harrisburg evicted occupants of the then-largest encampment under the Mulberry Street Bridge, citing a rodent infestation. In June 2023, the city swept an encampment that had popped up along the Capital Area Greenbelt. Again in November 2023, a small encampment was asked to move from Riverfront Park.
Curry-Nixon and Amiracle4sure have operated shower services for the homeless at their State Street office since the pandemic. Curry-Nixon said she has spoken with people about the new relocation plan and has received positive feedback.
PennDOT could not immediately be reached to comment on the deadline for encampment occupants to move by. However, county officials said that once PennDOT closes off the area for construction, it will be permanently restricted.
Amiracle4sure, along with local service providers, will assist unhoused people with the move to the new location in the coming weeks. Officials asked that all volunteers reach out to Amiracle4sure to coordinate efforts.
Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH) officials also expressed support for the plan.
“We recognize that housing solutions look different for everyone. A Miracle Community is another option on the path to a home for all,” Board President Dennise Hill said.
For more information or to donate or volunteer, visit Amiracle4sure’s website.
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