ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Two Allentown City Council members are calling for measures they say would better protect the homeless.

Their proposed ordinance during Wednesday’s council meeting comes just weeks after the city shut down a homeless encampment.

Councilmembers Ce-Ce Gerlach and Natalie Santos are co-sponsoring the bill which calls to protect unsheltered individuals and their rights.

The bill comes following the closure of the Jordan Creek Encampment, a place where approximately 100 individuals called home before they were evacuated by the city on Sep. 29. Officials said it was evacuated due to its location on a flood plain.

The ordinance includes risk assessments to be done by the city to ensure encampments are safe.

The proposal also establishes a procedure for closing an encampment, including giving residents written notice at least 90 days ahead of time and calls for the training of city employees in working with the unhoused. It creates procedures relating to city responses to people who are living outdoors, and sets standards and procedures for remedying unsafe conditions and protecting the rights and property of homeless individuals.

“Due to the importance of the impact of this bill and what it will have on most of, if not all, the city bureaus, I believe it is best to have all councilmembers present to review and evaluate the merits of it, so I will be forwarding this bill to a committee of the whole,” said council President Daryl Hendricks.

Normally, when council introduces an ordinance, it is sent to the appropriate committee for discussion and a recommendation that then comes to the full council, but President Daryl L. Hendricks said it would be in the best interest for all councilmembers to review and evaluate the merits of the proposal by forwarding the bill to a Committee of the Whole meeting.

That was not welcome news to Councilmember Gerlach. Gerlach, who also sits on the city’s Parks and Recreation committee, questioned council as to why the committee could not review the bill before presenting it to council for a vote.

“It seems when I introduce legislation, it always ends up at a Committee of the Whole, a special committee or a committee I don’t sit on,” Gerlach said. 

“We’re dealing with unsheltered folks, many of whom we just had a couple of weeks ago set up in West Park, which is Parks and Recreation,” she continued. “We have many of them who are setting up along trails, which is Parks and Recreation. We have many of them who are setting up along waterways, which is Parks and Recreation.”

“I know the attempt and why this is being sent to the Committee of the Whole so that everyone can be there and it will get tabled since the mayor called everyone up,” Gerlach alleged. “He doesn’t want this to go anywhere, and I know that’s what this effort is.”

Hendricks denied that the mayor had made such calls.

“And I don’t appreciate political manipulation to get the outcome that you want,” Gerlach added. “If you want it tabled, then table it at the regular council meeting, vote against it, or make amendments to it. I find this to be very distasteful, and I would like it to be sent to Parks and Recreation.”

Hendricks said the proposal impacts the entire city and must go to Committee of the Whole.