Just months ahead of the opening of a county-funded supportive housing facility in Lansdale, local police will begin enforcing the prohibition of overnight camping in borough parks. That is according to news that came out of a recent committee meeting. 

 

Mayor Garry Herbert, who signed a Montco 30% and Habitat for Humanity pledge circulated last summer to not criminalize homelessness, recently penned a memo with Police Chief Mike Trail. As reported by The Reporter news outlet, that memo includes the following: 

 

“This action is being taken to ensure the longevity of our park assets. Tenting, camping, and otherwise erecting non-permanent structures for extended periods damages the natural space we are trying to protect.” 

 

It continues: “Our goal is NOT to criminalize poverty in Lansdale. However, we also will not tolerate the destruction and abuse of our parks and our property.” 

 

“Going forward, to properly and humanly address issues related to the unhoused, Lansdale Police Officers will ask unhoused persons squatting in our parks to remove themselves from park property if they are there outside the posted hours,” the memo begins. 

 

Email Mayor Herbert at mayor@lansdale.org and implore him to pause this policy change and wait until RHD opens the 20-bed supportive housing facility later this year.