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This morning, the City of Charlottesville formally announced plans to clear a tent community that has formed along the Rivanna River, near Free Fridge on Pantops, by Sept. 1.
According to a news release, the city has begun a “coordinated transition,” meeting with people living in the community individually to assess their needs and connect them to available resources in the area. The announcement was largely expected after The Daily Progress reported earlier this week, citing Mayor Juandiego Wade, that a plan was underway to clear the camp by September (subscription required).
As Neighborhoods Reporter Erin O’Hare previously reported, the city led cleanup efforts in the area in March and later provided portable toilets and needle disposal containers at the site, citing public health and safety concerns for both the broader community and the people living in the encampment, as well as environmental concerns.
From May: Rising rents and limited affordable housing continue to push more people in Charlottesville area into homelessness, local nonprofits say
I’ve read quite a few social media comments about the encampment this week, and many said what we often hear when it comes to the unhoused folks in our community: that everyone living in the encampment chooses to be there. Or that they are dangerous. And why don’t they just get jobs?
As Erin and others have reported, there may be little choice involved. There are several factors adding to financial pressure for many central Virginia residents. Rents are rising faster than wages; there is little affordable housing available; shelter space is limited. Our reporting has found that women face additional barriers, as do those who were previously incarcerated. The impact on people’s health and life expectancy is very real. Many community members experiencing homelessness die each year.
As one woman living in the Free Bridge encampment told Erin: “We’re not out here because we choose to be out here. We’re out here because we have to be out here. Some of us have no family, no support, no anything.”
We agreed to not share her name out of concerns for her safety as well as the stigma that comes with homelessness. She came to the encampment after being released from incarceration, she said. Since being there, she’s had her birth certificate, her ID, and most of her clothing stolen from her campsite, she said. That, in conjunction with her record, has so far made it impossible for her to find a job and therefore housing. She was close to tears as she spoke with Erin.
Another question raised by many was essentially: Where are the people in the encampment supposed to go?
Service providers are working with city officials on plans for a new low-barrier shelter on Holiday Drive in Charlottesville, but that is going to take a while to materialize. Years, by some estimates. (Read more about that planned shelter in this report from Erin.) In the Friday news release, City Manager Sam Sanders said that the city is exploring additional emergency shelter and housing options and will share more details in the future.
From April: A new low-barrier shelter in Charlottesville is beginning to take shape. Here’s what it could mean for the community
This is not the only campsite that has caused issues, as many residents will recall the 2023 encampment in Market Street Park.
And late last year, Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis asked City Council to consider an ordinance banning camping on city property, noting “a marked increase in quality-of-life complaints in and around locations where unhoused community members are residing.” The proposal faced strong objections, with dozens of residents calling it “cruel,” “inhumane,” “draconian” and “criminal,” among other things. Council tabled the ordinance indefinitely.
We’ll continue to report on this story, and as always, if you have information you’d like to share or have questions you’d like us to ask, please get in touch.
Stay safe and take care of each other,
Akash Sinha, Managing Editor
P.S. If you’re out and about this weekend, use caution as the Virginia Department of Air Quality has issued several alerts across the state related to smoke from Canadian wildfires moving across the East Coast. Albemarle County has closed all swimming beaches Friday, and Charlottesville announced additional pool closures, cancelled some outdoor activities and cancelled the Saturday city market. Read more safety tips from the city and Cville Right Now.
Here’s how you can help with the summer count of people experiencing homelessness
Sign up online to volunteer for the Blue Ridge Area Coalition’s summer Point In Time Count on July 22 and 23. The goal of the count is to get a better understanding of how many people in the Charlottesville area community are experiencing homelessness during the summer months. BRACH will host training sessions for all volunteers prior to the event.
