Concord manager proposes $205,000 cleanup of Healy Park, urges enforcement and social services support

Concord City Manager presented a proposal to the Finance Committee on May 20 asking the council to fund a $205,000 cleanup of homeless camps at Healy Park and make recurring maintenance funding of $20,000 every other year.

The manager said the one-time $205,000 would cover removing campsite material ($90,000), cutting undergrowth ($90,000), and trail and sign work ($25,000), and recommended using the city’s Community Improvement Reserve to avoid a tax-rate impact: “I would recommend using that to offset the cost so there's no impact on the tax rate,” the City Manager said.

The request prompted questions from Councilors about how people currently living in the camps would be assisted and where they would go. Councilor Todd asked, “What would the plan be in order to work with those 11 people to relocate?” The City Manager said social workers and contracted agencies would be used to “work with them to find places to locate people,” but cautioned that housing options are limited and the effort would take several months.

Human services staff and council members pressed for a clear relocation plan before cleanup. Councilor Schlosser, who visited the park, described the site as “a disaster” and said cleaning and improved sight lines would make it safer and more usable for residents. Several councilors noted that prior work at similar sites had required coordination with hazardous-waste removal and outreach to people living outdoors.

Councilors also asked whether enforcement would be used to keep camps from returning. The City Manager said the work would be followed by staff enforcement of no-camping rules and coordinated outreach: “I would also ask, task city staff with the daily removal of people that violate the rules of no camping on the city property.” When asked whether that enforcement would involve police, the City Manager answered, “That's correct,” and added that social workers would also be involved.

Committee members asked about funding sources. The manager said the Community Improvement Reserve has a balance of roughly $1,250,000, most of which came from a recent state grant: “The majority of that fund, roughly 1,140,000.00, was recently received from a grant to the city.” He proposed adding the cleanup expense and an offsetting revenue entry to keep the tax rate steady.

Councilors pressed staff to develop a clear, staged plan to assist people who live at the site and to coordinate with regional social-service providers. The manager acknowledged that placements may be difficult because of scarce housing and said the city would work with contracted social-service agencies over several months before and during the cleanup.

The committee did not vote on the cleanup request at this meeting; the discussion will inform council budget and policy decisions moving forward.