SALISBURY – An emergency encampment for homeless individuals is now open in Salisbury.
Late last month, the City of Salisbury – in partnership with several agencies – opened Camp Hope, an emergency encampment for homeless individuals in the community.
As residents shelter at home during the COVID-19 outbreak, officials said Camp Hope will offer temporary accommodations for those in the homeless population.
“These guys don’t have a place to shelter in place,” said Christine Chestnutt, the city’s housing and homelessness manager, “so that’s what we are trying to provide.”
Located at the Lake Street Playground, Camp Hope features 24 tents stocked with cots, sleeping bags and hygiene kits, two quarantine tents, and bathrooms.
Mayor Jake Day said the encampment is open to single adults over the age of 18. Families, he noted, are being redirected to other housing options, including hotels.
“We are now seeing an increase in unsheltered persons …,” he said. “The fear that I have and the fear that we have collectively is that if COVID-19 gets into the homeless population, it will spread due to limited access to sanitation, due to clustering around food options and food delivery sites. The solution is to begin to institute some level of controlled environment for a population that very frankly doesn’t like control very much.”
Day said Salisbury reported a decline in the number of homeless individuals living in the city last year. But as the global health crisis continues – and as shelters close to slow the spread of COVID-19 – he said that progress has been disrupted.
“For those who cannot stay indoors and do not have an option while our local shelters are closed to new persons coming in, this is an option to them,” he said.
Officials said Camp Hope can accommodate up to 26 individuals. Within days of opening, the encampment had reached its capacity.
Day said the city has partnered with several agencies, businesses and community members to make Camp Hope a reality. For example, Beyond Your Walls is providing shower trailers, First Baptist Church is providing WiFi, and the Maryland National Guard is preparing meals using food and paper produced providing by the Maryland Food Bank and Holt Paper. In addition, city and county residents donated tents and Peninsula Roofing donated masks.
“We are incredibly grateful to each of them for their partnership,” Day said.
Chestnutt said individuals will receive a medical assessment each time they enter the camp. The city is also providing security at the site.
“They will have to fill out basic paperwork so we know who’s here, we will check to make sure no one that comes in is a sex offender and we will assign tents accordingly …,” she said.
Chestnutt said the city continues to seek nonperishable foods and drink donations, as well as volunteers who can help in three-hour shifts during the day.
For more information, email [email protected]. For daily updates and requests, visit the “Housing First Salisbury, Maryland” Facebook page.
“We are in a time when public health has to be protected,” Day said, “and if we can help we are going to.”
