Residents urge Lancaster City Council to stop encampment sweeps; mayor and staff promise outreach but reject parks as sites

Dozens of Lancaster residents used the city council public-comment periods on Jan. 14 to press elected officials to stop enforcement sweeps of outdoor encampments and to establish safer, legal places for people to sleep.

Organizers, outreach workers and residents described repeated cleanups that they said displace people, result in lost belongings and make it harder to connect people with services. Duncan Hopkins, an organizer with Lancaster Stands Up, told council that “the January 3rd sweep was canceled because we outorganized you, and we are going to continue to out organize you as long as it remains a priority of the city of Lancaster to displace our unhoused neighbors.” He said 170 city residents had emailed the mayor and council asking for an end to sweeps.

Several speakers who said they have worked in outreach or formerly managed homeless services described why shelters are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Rebecca Nace, who said she has done outreach and case management across the county,…