BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Norfolk Southern Railroad has asked Bethlehem police to clear a sprawling homeless encampment along the Lehigh River, setting off discussions among city officials, advocates and residents about how to respond.
About 30 people live in tents across 22 acres of railroad-owned property where the company has raised concerns about improper waste disposal, open fires and hazards near active tracks. Notices are expected to be posted Sept. 15, with a deadline of Dec. 15 for removal.
Bethlehem officials estimate roughly 91 people are experiencing homelessness in the city. Mayor J. William Reynolds said the city will continue to offer outreach, emphasizing that “we do not feel that being homeless should be a permanent state of existence for anyone.”
The issue dominated Tuesday’s City Council meeting, where advocates, service providers and residents warned that a wintertime clearance could have devastating consequences.
“It is unfortunate that Norfolk Southern has taken the position that they have,” said Marc Rittle, executive director of New Bethany Ministries. “My hope is we can find an agreeable short-term solution while continuing the dialogue for meaningful long-term solutions.”
Brian Hillard, a board member with Serving to Aid & Restore, urged compassion in the city’s response.
“They’re just looking to survive; these people need places to live,” he said.
Several camp residents also spoke, sharing their fears about losing the only shelter they have.
“Apparently I exist because I’m here,” said Terry Schew, a camp resident. “I’m alive. I’m not a bum. I work harder now than I ever did before. I see all sides of this. But I don’t see the point of doing it in the middle of winter. You’re going to literally have people dead. Shelters don’t and can’t hold that many.”
“Please do whatever you can to stop Norfolk Southern’s proposed eviction,” said Sam, a Bethlehem resident. “Everyone has a right to live in dignity and peace. Housing is a human right.”
Bethlehem Health Bureau Director Kristen Wenrich said the city’s Community Connections program has been embedded in encampments since 2020, pairing social workers with police to connect people to housing, mental health and addiction treatment. The railroad’s deadline adds pressure, but Wenrich said Bethlehem is not starting from scratch.
“We’re fortunate that we have an infrastructure and we have those partnerships that are already set up,” she said.
The Bethlehem clearance comes as neighboring Allentown faces its own deadline. About 100 people living along Jordan Creek are expected to leave by Sept. 29, when the city plans to clear the encampment ahead of the winter warming station’s opening.
Advocates say both situations highlight a regional crisis. The Lehigh Valley’s most recent point-in-time count found 763 people experiencing homelessness, up nearly 100 from two years ago.
“You’re helping all the wrong people,” said a homeless female resident at the Bethlehem camp. “When they see us down there, they put all of us in the same category whether we do drugs or not. I’m a college student. I work four jobs right now. There are a lot of people down there who obviously do that, but a lot of us work.”
Wenrich emphasized that the city will continue to put an increased focus on community outreach.
“Everyone that’s down there has an individual set of circumstances,” she said. “There’s a myriad of reasons why people are homeless and why they might be living in the encampments. With us, it’s really important being down there that we’ve established a relationship with the individuals … particularly in that community, there’s a lot of distrust, so we’re working overtime to build that trust.”
Isabel Hope is a journalist and website designer based in Bethlehem, PA. She graduated with a degree in journalism from The University of Alabama in 2022, where she served as News Editor of the student newspaper. Isabel has lived in the Lehigh Valley for three years and is passionate about reporting for the communities she now calls home.