Encampment under Mulberry Street Bridge in Harrisburg
On a rainy Thursday morning, local organizations conducted their normal weekly outreach to the Mulberry Street Bridge encampment in Harrisburg.
However, the area once full of people living under the bridge was far less crowded as many have moved due to an eviction notice issued by the city.
Last week, Harrisburg officials stated that those residing in the encampment would need to clear out by Thursday, citing health and safety concerns. But they have since extended that deadline because of Thursday’s rainy weather and to allow local nonprofits more time to help transport and assist those in need.
“The city of Harrisburg, in partnership with the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH), will be working through the weekend to make sure any encampment resident under the Mulberry Street Bridge has access to a new location,” said Communications Director Matt Maisel in a statement.
According to Maisel, cleaning of the area under the bridge won’t begin until Monday, at the earliest.
The city said it will not disclose where the new relocation area is, for the privacy of the residents who are moving.
Corrie Lingenfelter, interim executive director of Downtown Daily Bread, who was on site on Monday to assist, said that she expects some residents to relocate, while others may seek refuge in rehabilitation centers or shelters.
Volunteers from Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area (CCU) said they plan to provide bins and suitcases to those who still need to move their possessions.
Staff with the Harrisburg Area YMCA were on site on Thursday as part of their COVID-19 deterrence and mitigation program, through which they tour the state, providing testing and outreach to homeless populations.
During their yearlong project, staff member Metea Sinclair said she has seen other Pennsylvania cities and counties taking similar measures to disperse encampments as they’ve grown in size due to the effects of the pandemic. To her, what’s happening in Harrisburg, seems to be part of a larger trend of clearing encampments.
“It’s been eye-opening,” she said.
For those who want to assist, CCU shared on social media ways for people to volunteer. They said that while they’ve already received interest from many potential volunteers, they could specifically use help from people with pickup trucks or vans to help people move on Friday. They also pointed to a “Harrisburg Unhoused Emergency Assistance Fund” set up by The Foundation for Enhancing Communities that people can donate to.
To donate to the “Harrisburg Unhoused Emergency Assistance Fund,” click here. To volunteer with Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area, contact Darrel Reinford at 717-230-9550 or dreinford@ccuhbg.org or Aisha Mobley 717-963-5985 or amobley@ccuhbg.org.
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