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Resident and county officials highlight homelessness; county repurposes CYF vans for nonprofit transport using CDBG funds
Summary
During public comment a resident described encampment homelessness and food insecurity. County staff said a Community Development Block Grant program will reimburse Children and Youth vans for nonprofit use to transport people to warming shelters.
A county resident urged the Northampton County Council to address homelessness and food insecurity during public comment, and county staff described a new approach that repurposes retired Children and Youth vans for nonprofit transport using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
“I'm Beverly Hernandez from Palmer Township,” the resident said during the public‑comment period, describing encounters with people living under a bridge and recounting efforts to take food and blankets to them. Hernandez also raised broader concerns about rising costs for households and a proposed $35 million bond referenced during her remarks.
County staff member McClure told the council the county used CDBG funds to reimburse Children and Youth for vans that otherwise would go to auction and that the first such van was transferred to a nonprofit affiliate of Greater Shiloh for use in transporting individuals to a warming shelter on cold nights. “Our first van went to the greater, Shiloh folks and their nonprofit arm. And that van is going to be used to transport the folks ... to their warming shelter on nights when it's very cold,” McClure said.
McClure said the approach reimburses Children and Youth for the value they would have received at auction and places the vehicles directly with local nonprofits that provide services to people experiencing homelessness. He emphasized that homelessness is a multifactorial problem and that county funding and wraparound services are part of, but not a complete solution to, the issue.
McClure credited Tina Smith, identified during the meeting as the director of community and economic development, with developing the approach and said both Northampton and Lehigh counties contribute millions annually to combating homelessness and to support related services.
Hernandez used her allotted public‑comment time to recount individual encounters and to raise concerns about the county's response; her remarks were part of courtesy of the floor and were not debated by council. McClure's description of the van‑reuse program was presented during his staff report and referenced ongoing procurement and CDBG reimbursement procedures.
