Bethlehem officials outline shelter, outreach plans as Norfolk Southern posts eviction notices along canal

Bethlehem city leaders and social-service partners told the City Council on Sept. 16 they are intensifying outreach to people living in encampments along the canal after property owners including Norfolk Southern, UGI and PennDOT posted notices seeking removal. City staff said the administration is working with community partners to connect people to shelter and services and is applying for several state and county grants to expand shelter capacity.

The issue surfaced in public comment and dominated the council’s new-business discussion as residents, service providers and several council members described the human impact and urged careful handling before a Dec. 15 deadline that Norfolk Southern has referenced. “We are down there pretty much every day with our community partners,” said Miss Wenrick, a Community Connections staff member, describing outreach, counts and biweekly coordination calls with providers. She said 22 people had been connected with intensive case management as of the meeting.

Council members and staff emphasized the city has not conducted an aggressive sweep of wooded areas to find and remove people. “We are not trouncing through the woods seeking people out,” a city staff member said, adding that city crews accompany property owners when the owners post notices on their private land.

Why it matters: the canal encampments…