Ask For Homeless Camping In Worcester Parks Rejected By Councilors

WORCESTER, MA — A Worcester resident's request to allow homeless residents to camp in city parks was rejected by city councilors at Tuesday's meeting after another debate about a "complex" homelessness problem that is only worsening.

Samantha Olney, a homeless woman and founder of the group Homeless Addicts Leadership Organization (HALO), petitioned the council to allow camping in parks as a way to allow the homeless to live safely. Homeless camps already exist across Worcester, and campers are routinely kicked out by property owners, usually with assistance of police and the city's Quality of Life team. The homeless often end up moving to other camp sites as part of an ongoing shuffle with few permanent shelter options available in the area.

"Allowing unhoused individuals to live in tents in city parks creates a more inclusive atmosphere and promotes harm reduction strategies and approaches that are proven to be more effective than criminalizing homelessness and arresting unhoused individuals for existing, which in turn violates their 8th Amendment rights that prevent cruel and unusual punishment," Olney wrote in her petition.

Many cities have allowed sanctioned encampments with varying results. Sanctioned camps have the benefit of centralizing the homeless population, allowing service providers to reach them all at once. Meeting the homeless where they live is considered a best practice for outreach, experts say. Worcester considered erecting a small village with Pallet Shelters, but ultimately did not move forward.

Numerous Worcester residents spoke against Olney's request at Tuesday's meeting. Many said they have compassion for the homeless, but wouldn't stand for them camping in parks. Some speakers said Worcester would face certain doom if leaders allowed camping in parks. A resident named Donald said Worcester would follow cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City in being "basically done."

"You have an influx of drug addicts, human trafficking, illegal migrants — it’s not going to work out. If this happens, youth sports are over. These parks are gone," he said.

Homelessness has long been an issue in Worcester, but the city's unhoused population has grown sharply in recent years while shelter beds have been in flux. The longstanding Hotel Grace shelter closed in spring 2022, leaving city officials in a deficit over the past two winters. In late 2022, city officials brokered the opening of a shelter at the Blessed Sacrament Church; this winter, the shelter is located at the former RMV office downtown.

During debate Tuesday, councilors frequently highlighted how complex the situation is, and said that the needs of property owners have to be part of the discussion.

"I can’t support having our public spaces taken like that," At-Large Councilor Kate Toomey said in reference to Olney's petition. "We need to be able to understand this isn’t just putting someone in a house, or let someone have a tent. It’s a very complex situation and I don’t think it’s something that can be settled in just one order, just one petition."

RELATED: Worcester Won't Pursue New Shelter Space For Homeless, Leaders Say

Olney's petition followed a similar request last summer by Maydee Morales — who oversaw the Blessed Sacrament shelter — asking to suspend sweeps of homeless camps. Sweeps have not been suspended, but Morales' petition led to the formation of a homelessness roundtable bringing together local homeless service providers. That group has been meeting in recent months, and includes city health commissioner Matilde Castile and City Manager Eric Batista.

After At-Large Councilor Donna Colorio moved to reject Olney's petition, District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj asked that Olney be added to the city's homelessness roundtable. At-Large Councilor Khrystian King also moved for a report from the city administration on the constitutionality of removing homeless camps.

"Please bring those folks to the table so they can inform a comprehensive public health, public safety, people-centered solution that does not rely on fear," Haxhiaj said.

Olney's presence at the roundtable could be the first time a homeless person has been a part of discussions. Batista said Tuesday he wasn't sure if any homeless people had been part of the new roundtable.

Colorio's motion to reject Olney's petition passed unanimously, as did Haxhiaj and King's requests.