A Q&A on bridge encampments

Mayor Andre Dickens’ office released a list of frequently asked questions on Atlanta’s plan to clear out homeless encampments under bridges in the city. The list was shared Thursday night with City Council members. The following are a few of the questions that were included:

Q: Which bridge encampments will be compassionately decommissioned?

A: The City of Atlanta and Partners for HOME have identified priority bridge locations around the city based on criteria including public health concerns, infrastructure safety (including prior fires and criminal activity), and the size of the encampment.

Q: How will bridge residents be notified and what happens on the day of closure?

A: Signage will be posted on bridges to notify residents of the closure. On the day of closure, outreach teams will be present and help clients to load their belongings and transport them to the temporary emergency shelter, operated by Gateway Center. Partners for HOME and partner providers will be on site to help coordinate logistics and transportation to temporary shelter. Outreach teams will be actively engaging and assessing individuals for several weeks prior to closure.

Q: How do you make sure encampments are decommissioned in a compassionate person-centered way?

A: Each individual meets with an outreach housing navigator and is assessed for services and housing. Individuals will be offered shelter and continued case management once they leave the encampment. If an individual chooses to not go to shelter, their housing navigator will continue to work with them toward their housing goals.

Q: At the closure of the temporary emergency shelter, will individuals be released into the community?

A: All individuals will be assigned a housing navigator who will be working to quickly connect people to permanent housing solutions. Our goal is to connect everyone in shelter to permanent housing.

Q: How do I report an encampment under a bridge?

A: Call 311 to report an encampment. A crisis response team will be deployed, and follow-up will be provided.