The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Officials monitor homeless after encampment removed
Local officials continue to monitor the homeless issue in the city of Oneida and throughout other parts of Madison County.
Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood said the problem of homelessness extends beyond the city of Oneida.
“There are a number of homeless encampments in the area,” the sheriff said. “There is one south of Canastota near Oxbow Road. It’s a sizable encampment down in a wooded area that makes it harder to find.”
Last week, Oneida Mayor Rick Rossi joined with law enforcement and social services personnel to remove a homeless encampment on Sconondoa Street.
The mayor addressed the issue and said it had become a public safety issue, not only for neighboring citizens but for the people and animals in the encampment as well. Rossi.
City officials noted how the encampment has been the subject of numerous neighbor complaints. This is a residential area of the City. The City Community Garden is located in the immediate area, and further concerns were associated with unsanitary conditions at the encampment.
In May of 2023, city officials said the Oneida Police Department began responding to complaints from neighbors. On repeated occasions, individuals were advised they were trespassing and to relocate. When verbal directives were ignored, the department began to issue trespassing citations.
Over a period of six months, Oneida police and the Madison County Department of Social Services, and Community Action Program interacted regularly with those at the encampment advising them of shelter and drug treatment opportunities, according to city officials.
Rossi said that on Monday, Feb. 12, city officials directed DPW to post no trespassing signs and he said later that morning, city police officers visited the camp and advised campers that the camp would be cleaned up on Wednesday and that they should take their belongings and relocate.
On Tuesday, Feb. 13, OPD again visited the camp to inform those present that the camp would be cleaned up on Wednesday, the mayor said.
Rossi went on to say that on Wednesday morning, Feb. 14, city police went to the camp with the Community Action Program and
DSS to try to assist any lingering individuals with finding shelter. According to the mayor, at that time, the campers were not present and it appeared they had taken their personal belongings and were no longer in the immediate area.
Around noon on the same day, a DPW crew removed an estimated 2,500 pounds of rubbish, feces, trash, dog crates, the one remaining tent, and other assorted debris, Rossi noted.
Hood said homeless gatherings are often inhabited by habitual drug users and the mentally ill. These gatherings are compromised during the winter months.
“They like having their privacy until winter arrives,” he said. “When it gets cold they move inside, except for those with mental issues. They like staying in their tents. Sadly, tents are not much good when the temperature drops.”
Hood said the county’s homeless population does not pose a direct threat to its residents.
“It’s a matter of the size of the homeless population,” he said. “An officer could work in a large city and see more homeless attacks. They could also work their entire career in someplace like Madison County and only see one or two such incidents.”
Hood said the presence of illegal migrants in the state presents an additional challenge.
“I was at the State Association of Sheriffs (event) recently and we were educated about the problems faced by illegal migration in the state and nationwide,” he said. “In a few years, we will be seeing the results of this. When we get the Mexican cartels in here they will start enforcing laws their own way as they enforce their will. They execute and do horrible things to punish those who cross them or who are in their way. We will see that here in New York.”
Hood said he is fine with legal migration and with those documented migrants who stay in New York.
“It’s a good idea when these workers pick apples and do other jobs as long as they have their green cards,” he said. “Our whole system is based on people working and paying their taxes so the economy can survive. We don’t need an influx of undocumented workers. We are bursting at the seams already.”
In the past few years, the Madison County Department of Social Services has seen an increase in the number of homeless individuals they have assisted.
In 2020, 224 people were homeless, in 2021 Madison County assisted 208 homeless individuals, and as of October 2022, they have assisted 237. In comparison, in 2019 some 186 homeless individuals were served.
Madison County offers housing programs and substance abuse services through Liberty Resources and Family Counseling Services. Individuals who are in need of mental health or substance abuse treatment, and are not in crisis may call Madison County Mental Health at 315-3662327. Walk-ins are welcome from 8 a.m. through 3 p.m. and there is no need to call ahead.
Other options include:
• Liberty Resources Oneida, call 315-363-0048 to schedule;
• Family Counseling Center Oneida at 315-2800400;
• Help Restore Hope Domestic violence program, Oneida at 1-855-966-9723;
• BRIDGES/MCCSA at 315-697-3947.
Individuals who are in need of housing may call the Madison County Department Of Social Services at 315-366-2211 or Community Action Partnership of Madison County at 315697-3588.