A City of Burlington plan to allow a dozen homeless familes to sleep overnight in a waterfront parking lot fell apart on Thursday, less than 24 hours after it was announced.
Only two people had expressed interest in parking their cars at a gravel lot near Perkins Pier, city spokesperson Joe Magee said Thursday. But many more lambasted city officials for unveiling the new “safe parking” pilot program with little notice and no public input. Business leaders, in particular, complained that the program would invite homeless people into a commercial area of the waterfront.
“The administration came to this decision based on substantial community feedback,” Magee, the deputy chief of staff to Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, wrote in an afternoon press release.
Burlington Will Allow People to Stay in Cars at Perkins Pier
Burlington Will Allow People to Stay in Cars at Perkins Pier
By Derek Brouwer
News
Magee also cited “threatening” comments posted to unspecified online platforms as causing concern for the safety of potential participants.
The parking pilot program had been slated to run from July 4 through August 15. City officials were planning to issue free overnight parking permits to up to a dozen homeless households, allowing them to sleep in their cars nightly until 8 a.m. The city had planned to install a portable toilet and provide police patrols of the area.
The city’s special assistant to end homelessness, Sarah Russell, said on Wednesday that the program was an emergency measure in response to the latest rollback of a state-funded motel program, which is expected to put about 100 more households on the street in Chittenden County this week. She said the city didn’t have time to solicit public input on the plan.
The retreat on Thursday included a mea culpa of sorts from the Mayor’s office.
“The administration will continue to consult with City staff as this situation evolves,” the release stated, “and should different responses be necessary from a public health and safety perspective, we will prioritize notice to the community.”
The mayor’s team also reiterated its longstanding plea for more help from the state legislature and Gov. Phil Scott.
“The City of Burlington does not have the resources or staff capacity to address the need for shelter or services to respond to the crisis of unsheltered homelessness,” Magee wrote.