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, told council: “When we throw their things away and sweep them, we’re throwing away our community’s kindness, empathy, compassion.” Sean Domenick, who has repeatedly urged changes at city meetings, said outreach data show demand exceeds capacity: “The emergency shelter in the Tenfold garage … reported serving 192 unique individuals … The recently opened Clay Street Shelter has 80 beds,” he said.

Other speakers — including volunteers and nonprofit staff — urged immediate alternatives such as designated encampment sites with sanitation and storage, a “right to rest” ordinance, and more investment in low-barrier shelter and housing resources. Jackie Morges, who has volunteered with local services, said sweeps are “not only harmful and inhumane, they are also extremely costly” because they destroy people’s documents, medication and survival gear.

Mayor Serachi responded during the meeting and acknowledged the scale of the problem while describing the city’s current approach. “We have a response team in the city. It is primarily led by our police social workers,” she said, and outlined coordination with Tenfold, the Food Hub and other partners to place people into temporary shelter and to expand services. She told speakers she would meet with community members and outreach groups and invited organized proposals for potential outdoor-sleeping sites, while adding she was not willing to make parks available for that purpose: “I am not in favor of, making our parks available for those purposes.” The mayor also said she would not support a blanket “right to rest” without addressing safety, liability and other constraints.

Council leaders and the mayor stressed limits on shelter capacity and funding. Council President Begay noted the Food Hub is collecting donations to cover security deposits and first-month rents for people moving into housing. Several council members and the mayor encouraged residents and nonprofits to continue donations and volunteer support while officials seek longer-term funding and county cooperation.

Speakers repeatedly asked the council to halt sweeps during severe winter weather. Many requested an ordinance to enshrine a right to rest or an immediate moratorium on removals; city officials said they would continue outreach-focused responses and seek funding but did not adopt a moratorium during the meeting.

The meeting record shows sustained community pressure and a clear split between residents and advocacy groups seeking immediate policy change and city officials who emphasized operational limits, liability concerns and the need for additional funding and partnerships. The council and mayor invited further meetings with outreach organizations and residents to pursue interim steps and long-term housing investments.

Ending: Council members and the mayor encouraged continued civic engagement and donations to local organizations providing housing assistance; residents insisted on policy change to stop sweeps and provide legal, safer options for people sleeping outdoors.