ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The City of Allentown is planning to clear out a homeless encampment along the Jordan Creek by Monday.
Dozens of tents still line the creek. It’s a makeshift neighborhood that Chrissy Delgado calls home.
“I’ve been trying to get my life together, and it’s just like a hot mess,” said Delgado.
Delgado said they are planning to head to the YMCA warming shelter that opens next week, but many people have no plan at all.
“A lot of these people, I don’t know where the heck they’re going. There’s some people who don’t even have a plan,” said Delgado.
Members of the Salvation Army were delivering meals on Wednesday to people living in the camp. Major Ismael Correa said people are struggling with the forced move.
“They have expressed frustration. They have expressed some anxiety, concern about the weather getting colder, about being removed from this area,” said Correa.
But bordering the property is an apartment building owned by Nat Hyman. He said he’s dealt with problems for years.
“We were experiencing daily incursions of people coming in and breaking into our buildings, breaking things,” said Hyman. “Defecating in the hallways, urinating in them. Accosting tenants as they were walking to the building.”
Hyman has a lawsuit pending against the City over the encampment, but he told us he’ll drop it if the City cleans up the site.
“If they’ll do that, if they’ll clean it all up, yeah there’s no reason to pursue the litigation any further,” said Hyman.
Officially, the City said clearing out the camp has nothing to do with the lawsuit. The City said it’s about safety because the land is in a floodplain. Delgado just hopes all of their neighbors find a safe place to call home when they leave the woods.
“I just hope life gets better for us. I hope, for all the homeless people out there, you can do something with your life,” said Delgado.
The YMCA warming shelter opens next week at 425 S 15th St. in Allentown, and the City is encouraging people to go there for a safe bed.