Update: Hamilton homeless advocates accuse officials of ‘bullying’ encampment residents

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Published June 6, 2023 at 3:44 pm

Homeless advocates say City officials and police are “bullying” and “threatening” residents at an encampment near Hamilton City Hall after telling them to leave today (June 6).

City officials, however, say some residents who had received the trespass notices, issued May 25, began to “voluntarily leave” today.

The City and police say they are “trying to gain compliance” from the people at the encampment rather than enforcing trespass orders.

Jackie Penman, a spokesperson for Hamilton police, told inthehammer.com that both the city and the force’s outreach teams are “at the Whitehern encampment working with residents to connect them to supports and encourage compliance with the City’s trespass order.”

Monica Ciriello, the City’s director of bylaw and licensing services, said “multiple issues” on the site, especially an assault and stabbing on May 26, led to the issuing of the trespass orders and the actions today. “The actions being taken at the Whitehern encampment are a direct result of continued safety concerns in the encampment, which have included an assault of member of the general public, a stabbing and reports of flammable materials.”

According to the Hamilton Encampment Support Network, the City and police officers arrived at the site behind Whitehern Historic House and Gardens near City Hall with a garbage disposal truck.

Ciriello said police had notified City staff that some residents had begun to pack up so there were items that could be thrown away. “City staff confirmed with the residents, who had voluntarily agreed to leave, that the items could in fact, be disposed of. The residents gave permission and City staff proceeded accordingly.”

Encampment residents given different orders: homeless advocates

The homeless advocacy network said the City refuses to give clear direction to the people at the encampment and other residents trying to help them.

“Some residents are being told to leave by Thursday, others haven’t been given a move-out date, and others have been ‘asked to voluntarily leave’ while officers loom,” the group tweeted in an update just after 2 p.m. today.

“Bullying, threatening and coercively ‘asking’ residents to relocate to other places in the City is NOT a solution, but continues cycles of trauma and displacement,” it added.

The homeless advocacy group said the solution is “permanent, accessible housing,” not enforcement and “asking people to ‘voluntarily’ leave without actual, long-term housing options.”

In response to concerns about where the encampment residents will go after being told to leave, the City’s Ciriello said the City “makes every effort” to ensure individuals in encampments can find shelter or permanent housing. ”

“We appreciate that there are days when options are more limited or when shelters are full,” Ciriello said. “These challenges are among the reasons the City is exploring a new way of supporting unhoused residents, which include a protocol that would permit them to stay encamped in the event suitable other options are not available.”

According to Ciriello, the city’s “housing-focused” street outreach team has visited the site an average of four to five times a week since March 1, even after the “voluntary compliance and trespass notices” were issued.

She added that starting June 7, Hamiltonians will have the opportunity to share their perspectives on the City’s approach to encampments.

Hamilton Encampment Support Network tweeted the news of what they said were “evictions,” just after 11:30 a.m. today.

“What’s the purpose of your ‘commitments’ & ‘principles’ if you’re continuing to enforce WHILE STILL consulting on a ‘new’ protocol?” the group said in the tweet.

“Asking people to ‘voluntarily’ leave without actual, long-term housing options keeps holding the idea that enforcement will be the ‘solution’ to encampments. The solution is permanent, accessible housing. Nothing less,” the Hamilton Encampment Support Network tweeted.

“Being ‘asked’ to leave, with no other options, is coercion. This City can’t keep saying it respects human rights as long as this continues,” it added.

On May 26, 27 people at the Whitehern encampment received trespass notices, which were effective immediately, as a result of growing health and safety concerns. At the time, a top city official believed they were still there even after the notices were given.

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