Ithaca staff present draft encampment-response report; recommends navigation hub near Southwest Park

Deputy City Manager Dominic Recchio presented a draft report and policy edits on March 12 that update Ithaca’s pilot encampment-response policy and recommend a phased approach: retain the temporary non-enforcement zone in Southwest Park, develop a nearby navigation hub for services and make selected infrastructure and livability improvements to the parcel.

The report summarizes a 2024 pilot implementation, outreach-worker engagement, and the advisory committee’s meetings over recent months. Dominic described the policy’s original charge as directing the city manager to create a response protocol for encampments on city land and said the protocol distinguishes active daily-use sites, lightly managed properties and the temporary non-enforcement zone behind Walmart known in the report as the Southwest parcel.

Dominic told the council the advisory committee surveyed people with lived experience and received 19 written responses and a focus group. He cited counts provided by the Continuum of Care showing an average of about 13 people sleeping outdoors during the coldest 10 days of January (2022–2024) and as many as 65 people in July in peak months. The committee recommended keeping the temporary non-enforcement zone in Southwest Park and adding clear addressing and additional access roads so first responders and service providers can reach specific locations.

The committee’s central recommendation is a two-phase implementation: (1) open and operate a navigation hub near the Southwest Park non-enforcement zone to provide short-term storage, mail, showers, toilets and assistance with paperwork and referrals; and (2) make targeted infrastructure improvements in Southwest Park — potable water, lighting, trash removal, device charging, paths and improved emergency-vehicle access. The presentation listed items people with lived experience most frequently requested: trash removal and a clean environment; showers and toilets; lighting and outlets; short-term personal-item storage and secure mail delivery; Wi‑Fi; and a staffed space with appointment coordination and case-manager access.

Dominic and staff outlined available funding and recent costs: the city has $800,001 available in capital funds for this work, $150,000 budgeted in 2024 for operational expenses, and two recent cleanup operations on lightly managed city land cost roughly $145,000 combined. He also said the city and county are co-funding a relaunch of a community outreach-worker program (about $65,000 each proposed for the contract) and noted that the navigation-hub concept could be stood up quickly if near an existing building.

Council discussion highlighted several concerns and next steps. Alderson Brown and others pressed for clarity about the 19 survey respondents’ demographics and asked how the plan would reach people who are couch-surfing or not in visible encampments. Alderson Matos and others urged trauma-informed engagement and questioned language choices; Matos suggested the committee avoid stigmatizing phrasing and treat people living outdoors as residents with dignity. Several councilors asked the staff to continue coordinating with the county and Community Justice Center; the Community Justice Center indicated interest in helping operate hub services.

Debate also touched on safety and operations: some councilors asked whether cameras or lighting would be appropriate at a navigation hub to enhance safety and help document serious incidents; others emphasized harm-reduction, supportive services and shelter capacity. Dominic said the committee plans to return a revised draft in April with cost estimates, clarifications about county coordination and additional data (including emergency-response call counts) requested by council members.

No formal council vote was taken on the draft policy during the March 12 meeting; the presentation concluded with council feedback and a timeline to return with a revised draft and recommended resolution in the coming weeks.

Key recommendations and next steps

- Retain the temporary non-enforcement zone at the Southwest Park parcel (about 28 acres behind Walmart) and add addressing and roads to improve access. - Develop a nearby navigation hub offering showers, toilets, short-term storage, mail services, Wi‑Fi and staff workspace; seek to use existing space when feasible. - Make targeted infrastructure and livability improvements (lighting, potable water, trash removal, paths, emergency-vehicle access). - Continue coordination with Tompkins County, the Continuum of Care and service providers; return to council with cost estimates and an updated draft in April.

Councilors, service providers and advocates signaled support for many recommendations but asked for more demographic detail on outreach, clarity about how the hub will serve people not in encampments, and more information about ongoing funding and roles for county and nonprofit partners.