ALLENTOWN, Pa. – More than 50 people filled the Allentown City Council meeting on Wednesday night to discuss temporary housing solutions for a homeless encampment that is facing eviction.
On Aug. 7, residents of a homeless encampment living along Jordan Creek in the Jordan Creek Meadows were notified that they must vacate by Aug. 25.
The city attributes the order to an active flood zone that it says is posing a significant danger to those living there. More than 100 unhoused individuals had set up tents and made their home along the creek in Jordan Meadows, an area that the city now says is dangerous because of an active floodplain where people have had to be rescued.
Mayor Matt Tuerk cited an overnight water rescue that was made during which three people who were “floating down in tents” were pulled out of the waterways.
“We’re recognizing that it’s better to ask people to find somewhere else to be than to inform their family that their loved ones have lost their lives in a flood,” Tuerk said.
City Council discussed the need for immediate solutions, such as funding the early opening of the YMCA’s warming site and exploring a temporary safe camping site.
“Let’s get the land first and get people a place to go,” said Councilmember Ce-Ce Gerlach.
A motion was made and voted on unanimously to take all necessary action to expend funds for the early opening of the Allentown warming station at the River Crossing YMCA. That expenditure includes $25,000 in funding from City Council and $25,000 from the mayor’s office.
The warming station is currently scheduled to reopen on Nov. 15. It is typically open from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m., providing shelter, an evening meal and a bathroom and shower.
Tuerk emphasized the need for a year-round warming station that will need to be budgeted for 2026 by City Council.
“Allentown is in a place, as a city, where we cannot continue to operate like this,” he said. “We will need a year-round warming shelter, and we will need City Council and the County of Lehigh and the private sector and the philanthropic community to step up and support that work.”
“So we’ll be back in 2026, asking the City Council to support a year-round shelter,” Tuerk said.
A motion was also unanimously passed to direct the administration to work with the county to identify and acquire a parcel to lease or purchase to be used as a temporary safe camping location.
While some members of the public accepted the temporary solution of the warming station, others expressed safety concerns regarding the short-notice eviction.
Gerlach attempted to make a motion to extend the eviction notice until it is certain that the warming station and other alternative camping locations would be open to residents, only to find that Tuerk and his administration is in charge of making the decision regarding the eviction date.
“We’ve made that administrative decision and won’t change it tonight,” Tuerk said. “Tonight, we’re going to hear from everyone and will continue to consult.”
Ultimately, City Council voted to encourage the Tuerk administration to extend the eviction until the YMCA opens or a parcel of land can be acquired.
Numerous residents alleged the Aug. 25 eviction date was chosen due to pending litigation made by Allentown developer Nat Hyman. In late June, Hyman threatened legal action against the city, claiming its failure to address that homeless encampments along Jordan Creek were causing pollution and violating environmental laws.
A status hearing for the lawsuit is scheduled for Aug. 25, the same day the camp must be cleared.
“It’s my understanding that there’s a status meeting Aug. 25 with regards to this lawsuit…Interesting enough, this eviction has to take place on Aug. 25, so there’s a connection here between that,” one speaker said.
Tuerk staunchly countered that the pending litigation has nothing to do with Hyman, and instead is due to the fire department assessment of flood risk.
“Our action here has zero to do with pending litigation,” Tuerk said. “It has zero to do with Nat Hyman. If you ask Nat Hyman, I think you’ll find that he does not consider me or this administration to be a friend.”