Ithaca Crime has acquired a copy of letter written to the Ithaca Common Council & then-Mayor Svante Myrick regarding illegal camping in the Cherry District on Brindley, Cherry & Taber Streets.
The Honorable Svante Myrick
Ms. Cynthia Brock
Mr. George McGonigal October 21, 2021
And Members of the Ithaca City Common Council Via Electronic Mail
108 East Green Street
Ithaca, New York 14850
Mr. Mayor, Ms. Brock, Mr. McGonigal and Common Council:
We are writing as property owners in the Cherry District to ask for your assistance in addressing
the serious public safety and health conditions that are threatening this neighborhood.
As local property owners, we are supporting the City’s effort to revitalize this neighborhood. The
City’s construction of the new bridge connecting to Taughannock Boulevard and the changes to
the zoning have made a key difference in bringing energy and attention to this area of our community. In return, we have made and are making significant investments in our properties. We believe this is a great example of what can be a public/private partnership success.
However, this area of the City has recently had an influx of campers using open land to pitch tents and tarps directly in view of the new bridge. The predictable pattern of shopping carts, dogs, litter, fires, and late-night activity has followed. Because there are no bathroom facilities available, there is again a predictable pattern. The City can support its plan of investment and improvement to this neighborhood, or allow this camping to continue, but both are not compatible.
We strongly urge the City Government to develop and implement a clear and comprehensive
policy regarding no camping on City land, or without the permission of the owner. We anticipate
that there will be objection to removing the option to camp for some of the most marginalized
members of our community. However, as is obvious, the social costs for all involved are just too
high. There is a clear correlation to drug addiction and untreated mental illness. Leaving these
people unhoused means that reaching them for services is far more difficult, inefficient, and, at
times, dangerous for service providers. It is perhaps possible to imagine a poorer service
delivery model, but this is nothing that anyone would ever design on purpose.
For those who are camping, there is a whole additional layer of danger, particularly for women,
teens, and others who are vulnerable. Further, the idea of these campsites facilitating transition
for people to re-engage with the larger community appears totally illusory. Remaining unhoused
makes reentry for those coming out of jail or prison much more difficult. And for those who have
gone through alcohol and/or drug treatment and are trying to stay clean, this is not an environment where success is likely. For those in need of medical or mental illness help, there is little chance of positive outcomes. Holding employment is nearly impossible. Allowing camping as a solution is endorsing failure.
All of us, not just City government, have allowed the current situation to grow. It has been unfortunately easy to avoid addressing this issue while the camping occurred out of sight. Shame on all of us. But the rapid growth into Cherry Street tells us we need to do something now. We also understand and agree that preventing camping would lead to a responsibility to do a much better job in response to this community problem. We support a housing first policy. But we also realize that there must be increased shelter capacity for those who are not suffering from addiction. IF PROPERLY STRUCTURED AND MANAGED, WE ARE OPEN TO CONSTRUCTION OF SHELTER FACILITIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
While expanding the City shelter capacity would have cost, doing so would also save money elsewhere. All of the services that are now provided as well as is possible in this mess could be delivered more efficiently and effectively. There would be less need for serious public safety interventions. We would significantly reduce New York State spending on the Code Blue program. And for each individual who successfully transitions out of this homeless population there is a tremendous gain individually and for the larger community.
The irony is not lost on us that, as property owners and payers of property tax, we are subject to
the City’s land use controls. At the same time, in effect, we have a City policy where there is no
land use control at all for those who pay no taxes and use City and other land without
permission. This situation makes no policy sense, creates legal liability for the City, obstructs the
economic development of the West End, ill serves the unhoused, and reflects poorly on us as a
progressive caring community.
We call on you to tour the neighborhood, deliberate, and act.
Sincerely,
Jerry Dietz, 120-40 Brindley St & 902 Taber Street
Steve Sinn, 229 Cherry Street
Michael Carpenter, 227 Cherry Street
Rich John, 805 Taber Street
Todd Fox, 110 Cherry Street
Frederic Bouche, 815 Taber Street
Michael Cooper, General Manager – Ithaca Central Railroad