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Parks officials describe outreach-first approach to encampments; 7-day notice for ordered cleanups except emergencies
Summary
DPR and NYPD told the council their approach to homelessness in parks centers on outreach and interagency coordination; when cleanups are ordered they said individuals receive notice and services are offered, with a seven-day notice for established encampments unless there is an emergency public-health risk.
At a New York City Council Committee on Public Safety oversight hearing, Department of Parks & Recreation officials described how the agency and its partners coordinate outreach and cleanups for people experiencing homelessness in parks, emphasizing an “education-first” approach and interagency care coordination.
Assistant Commissioner Asha Harris said DPR works closely with the NYPD Encampments Task Force, Department of Homeless Services (DHS) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to offer services and, where needed, conduct cleanups. Harris said DPR conducts notices and outreach and that “part of it is there’s a trust-building component” when engaging people in parks.
Harris told the committee that last year DPR conducted 665 outreach details across the park system and described several instances where officers helped individuals accept services. She said that when an established encampment is determined to be subject to a cleanup by the Encampments Task Force, individuals receive seven days’ notice unless there is an emergency public-health risk requiring immediate action.
Commissioner Iris Rodriguez Rosa reiterated that homelessness itself is not a crime, and she stressed that PEP officers lead with compassion and work to connect people to services before enforcement. DPR also said it coordinates with DOHMH on overdose-reversal training and with DHS and community service providers to link people to shelter or medical care.
Council members pressed agencies on how decisions are made to escalate from outreach to enforcement. DPR said escalation depends on observed violations and public-health risks. Several council members asked for more regular reports on outcomes, including how many people accepted services after outreach and how many cleanups were executed after notices.
The agencies indicated they will continue to coordinate with harm-reduction groups and to refine deployment of outreach and enforcement resources. Council members asked DPR and NYPD for follow-up data on notice timelines, counts of encampment operations, and metrics on service referrals.
