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Mayor George Brown defends clearing of river encampments; residents and advocates call for more humane housing solutions
Summary
Mayor George Brown said crews removed hazardous conditions from riverside encampments and defended the city's actions; residents and advocates told council the sweeps were inhumane and pressed for long-term affordable housing and shelter capacity.
Mayor George Brown defended the city's recent removal of river encampments, saying crews found hazardous conditions and that the city provided shelter resources; residents and advocates countered that the sweeps were inhumane and stressed the need for long-term housing solutions.
The mayor said crews encountered a ``dump'' with ``buckets of feces, buckets of urine, needles, and other hazards'' and that the removals were done after giving people "adequate time to move their belongings out." He said the city has provided money and services to help people who want help: "As the mayor of City Wilkes-Barre, I provided over 300,000 for a place for people to go that are homeless, that can get showers, get clean clothing, that can get counseling, that can get other resources," he said.
Nut graf: The exchange at the April 10 council meeting underscored a…
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