Feedback and survey responses on the City of Ithaca’s plan for unsanctioned encampments has been released as part of the August Planning & Economic Development Committee agenda. 45 individuals and organizations responded. The city’s proposal is for a one year pilot policy.
The feedback includes responses from law enforcement, Tompkins County Continuum of Care staff, The United States Inter Agency Council on Homelessness, a petition from the residents of Nate’s Floral Estates, in addition to notes from a meeting of West End Neighborhood residents and business held on July 27th, 2023.
The plan put forth for discussion utilizes a color coded system (Green, Amber & Red) to designate areas of city property where unsanctioned encampments will be tolerated and disallowed.
The committee sought input on the entirety of the policy, and requested specific feedback on the following issues.
- Use of the word enforcement (alternatives are administration, implementation and response or
response protocol) - Alternatives to the 6 -step protocol described in B(4) of the policy. Should a police response be
used? If not, what other steps should be taken to achieve voluntary compliance? - Should the policy include amber zones? Is so, what lands should be included?
B(4) is the policy’s suggested 6 stage Enforcement Protocol, the last three stages of which involve police.
Under the draft policy, enforcement would culminate in the issuance of a Police Citation following multiple verbal and written request to relocate. It does not constitute an arrest.
The solicitation for feedback on the word ‘enforcement’ and broader police involvement with the proposed policy was due to concerns raised by Councilpersons Ducson Nguyen, Tiffany Kumar, Jorge DeFendini & Phoebe Brown at the June 23rd meetings of the Planning and Economic Development Committee.
City Chief of Staff Deb Molenhoff described the issue as something that had preoccupied previous discussions of the working group that produced the proposed policy.
“The discussion you’re having right now and the discussion working group has had approximately 17 times back, so we’re all living it again together.” Molenhoff said.
“We went through, like, verbal gymnastics to not use the word enforcement in this policy. And then when we shared it around everybody was like, ‘Well if you don’t put the word enforcement in then why are you even bothering writing policies?'”
“I’m also curious who, like, which official stakeholders specifically were insistent that enforcement be in the policy?” Nguyen asked.
“Literally every person that we talked to. Every other group outside of the city said you have to make it clear,” Molenhoff explained.
That discussion can be viewed in full at the conclusion of this article.
One respondent of nine objected to the use of the word ‘enforcement.’ Eight of the ten responses to the proposed six step enforcement protocol stated police involvement is appropriate.
Many of the comments relate to the Green Zone; a large parcel of city land behind Wal-Mart that is a potential site for a sanctioned encampment. The area is currently occupied by numerous unsanctioned encampments that abut Nate’s Floral Estates.
A survey respondent who claims to work providing direct service to those living in unsheltered situations says those individuals “feel that being rounded up into one area feels like a concentration camp from World War II.”
The proposed policy and feedback will next be discussed at the August 16th meeting of the Planning & Economic Development Committee.
The City of Ithaca Pilot Administrative Policy – Unsanctioned Encampments on City Property can be viewed here.
The full survey and feedback responses are available below.
Correction: The PEDC meeting occurred on the 21st of June, not the 22nd as originally stated in this article.