Displaced homeless receive help
Homeless people displaced in wake of killing offered assistance from county
Days after a homeless man was found stabbed to death at an encampment at Harry M. Thayer Park and Ulster County officials cleared the area, several homeless people who were displaced were offered assistance by the County’s Department of Social Services.
Fewer than five homeless people who were encamped at Harry M. Thayer Park until this past weekend were offered services, including shelter, by Social Services, according to its boss.
Commissioner Michael Iapoce said Tuesday that all individuals who were displaced were offered up services including spots at motels that serve as emergency shelters.
“Anybody there was engaged and offered services that would assist them,” Iapoce said. “I can’t really provide the information about whether they were receptive to services. . .”
Officials said the lone individual
who remained on the property after the body of Guy Andradez, 59, was found on Aug. 11 had left the property on Monday.
County officials intend to make certain that new homeless encampments don’t appear.
All remnants of the encampment had been cleared by Monday.
County officials confirmed that the Highway Department cleared the area.
In 1980, the county Legislature adopted a resolution declaring the eight-acre site the Harry M. Thayer Memorial Park in recognition of the well-known civic leader and radio personality.
Recently, the area had become a favored site for homeless who set up camps on the property, located across Washington Avenue from the two QuickChek stores and abutting state Thruway property.
Last year, representatives from several social services agencies reached out to the people living at the site in an effort to help them find permanent housing. It is uncertain whether any of those living at the site prior to Andradez’s death were among those who there in 2018.
On Aug. 11, Andradez’s body was discovered by Tom Brener, who said he had lived in the riverside encampment for the past five years. Andradez’s body was under a collapsed tent, which Brener said was drawn over Andradez’s
body like a tarp.
On Aug. 12, police arrested 36-year-old Lance J. Ferguson and charged him with Andradez’s death. Police said Andradez had been stabbed multiple times.
Ferguson was charged with second-degree murder, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, concealment of a human corpse and tampering with physical evidence, all felonies. Ulster Town Justice Marsha Weiss has ordered that Ferguson undergo a psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.
On July 15, Andradez was charged with felony assault by town of Ulster police after he was accused of striking someone with a rock and a frying pan.