Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
Concerns raised about homeless
NORRISTOWN >> As he spoke to the Montgomery County commissioners, Michael Kingsley held up his cellphone with a photo of a man he knew only briefly, but whom he hopes leaves a lasting impact on Norristown.
“I wanted to briefly introduce you to this gentleman. Sixty-oneyear-old man, originally from Georgia, got stranded here in Norristown on his way to New York. He has been here in Norristown for over a year, homeless, he’s has had four jobs since I’ve known him, over a year, trying to do his best to get back on his feet,” Kingsley said.
“While on the street, he’s been beaten with rocks, by teenagers, he’s been shot by BB guns, by teenagers, he’s been beaten up, he’s been robbed, living here on the streets of Norristown. Sunday night, at 12:30 a.m., he was found dead at Lafayette (Street) and DeKalb. I don’t know yet whether it was his heart, or whether he got involved in drugs, they’re doing a tox screen to find out, but he’s dead because he did not have a shelter,” he said.
In late June, the county closed the now-former Coordinated Homeless Outreach Center on the grounds of the Norristown State Hospital along Sterigere Street. The center, which contained roughly 50 beds, was the only homeless space for single adults ages 18 years and older in Montgomery County, according to Times Herald archives. Kingsley, the Code Blue shelter manager for the center, was direct in questioning the commissioners on August 18 over why they still haven’t found a new place to stay for those in need.
“He’s dead because he had to hide from the violence that happens in our streets. I’m here to say, why aren’t you commissioners creating a shelter for these folks? Why did you let CHOC close down?” Kingsley said.
“CHOC closing made it worse, and it’s up to you, the three of you, to make something happen. And I’m asking you to do that,” he said.
David Morgan of Ambler referred to a point-in-time count across Montgomery County done in January that identified over 500 persons homeless in the county and questioned why the commissioners chose to proceed with a $415 million justice center but not a new spot for the homeless to stay.
“This is an area which I ask the commissioners to really review, to consider maybe redirecting money from the justice center, to have the workers build something which would be helpful to the community,” he said.
“We’ve been taxed, and had a bond just issued this summer, we’re going into debt at a higher interest rate than before. Why not devote our energies toward the homeless?” Morgan said.
Thomas Lepera, president of Norristown’s Municipal Council who wrote an op-ed in June about the pending CHOC closure, also spoke during the public comments and told the commissioners that he felt “the past few years have been pretty challenging for everybody, none more challenging than the unhoused.”
“The pandemic and Hurricane Ida both played major roles in the surging numbers of people we’ve seen out on the streets. But I just want to say that Norristown council, and our commissioners Ken Lawrence and Val Arkoosh, have been working very diligently the past few months, in the collaborative effort to try to solve these issues,” he said.
Last week, according to reporting from WHYY, Norristown’s council passed an ordinance that made it illegal to stay in parks from dusk to dawn, an ordinance that first appeared on a council agenda in early August and drew criticism for the short notice and lack of a long-term solution. In his comments to the commissioners, Lepera said he wanted to “give some credit where credit is due” to those who have tried to help, before saying he felt any longterm solution would need to be countywide.
“I think this issue’s much bigger than just Montgomery County government, and Norristown government. It’s going to take all 62 townships, municipalities, and boroughs, to try to fight this battle, and I’m just here to say I’m here to work with you to try to get that done,” he said.
Arkoosh said she was “very sorry” about the loss of life cited by Kingsley, then answered the comments from Lepera.
“It’s been extraordinarily difficult, as folks here know, who are involved in caring for those who find themselves without a permanent place to live, and we are working diligently to solve what is a very difficult problem, that was just doubled by Ida when so many families in our county lost their homes,” she said.
“I agree completely with you: it will take everybody pitching in across our county. Many municipalities already have affordable housing, in their municipalities, but there are others that don’t, and others that are talking to us about doing so right now. So we will continue to move forward together, and really appreciate our partnership in working on this,” she said.