Residents and commissioners urge coordinated response to homelessness after vandalism and encampments at Benton Harbor parks

Several residents and commissioners at the Benton Harbor City Commission meeting pressed city leaders for a clearer, coordinated response to homelessness and related public‑space vandalism.

Multiple speakers described tent encampments near downtown locations, Martin Park and other public spaces. Angela Berry, a resident who identified herself as someone with recent experience of homelessness, said she and others assist people at Sunday gatherings near the park and urged the city and service providers to work together on longer‑term solutions. "A lot of these…