By Eric Ayres, The Intelligencer
WHEELING, W.Va. – Although the topic of homeless encampments was not on the agenda during Tuesday night’s regular meeting of Wheeling City Council, the issue was the recurring point of discussion among city leaders before a room full of homeless advocates who attended the meeting.
On Monday, nearly 30 social service providers and homeless advocates sent a letter to city leaders requesting they suspend enforcement of the city’s new camping ban on public property. The ordinance creating the camping ban was passed last fall and went into effect at the beginning of the year. But implementation of the new ordinance is expected to move forward.
During the first week of the year, the city placed two-week notices at homeless encampments to advise people living there that they must leave the area with their belongings. That two-week deadline goes into effect at 5 p.m. today.
“One of the concerns that a lot of these people have is that we’re going to go in while people are in their camps, and we’re going to bulldoze over them,” Councilman Jerry Sklavounakis said. “Obviously, no one wants the city to do that.”
And Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron stressed that the city is not taking that kind of dramatic action.
He said there have been problems at existing homeless encampments, including reports of criminal activity, illegal dumping and littering, and other issues. If and when the city takes action to close a particular camp, any people remaining on the property will be given two additional hours to pack up their belongings and relocate.
Officials indicated that there were about five different known sites on public property around the city where homeless encampments currently exist.