Homeless camps like this one can be found near the Chadakoin River or near railroad tracks in Jamestown.
BARCELONA, NY — Sitting at the intersection of Route 5 and North Portage Road in this tiny hamlet near Westfield, which has a busy beach and a pier on Lake Erie in the summer, he held a cardboard sign and made a humble and desperate plea to the people.
“Homeless. Need cash.”
Local residents and tourists who stopped at the intersection took notice. Some offered him change, others gave him dollar bills.
His fate is all too well known in Chautauqua County. Since Mayor Kim Ecklund declared a state of emergency in Jamestown two weeks ago, homelessness has been a hot topic and a much-discussed issue in almost every community.
According to many reports, the region is in a crisis situation for which there are no easy answers.
The problem is evident in the southern city of the county. From the heart of downtown to the former Brooklyn Square, encampments can be seen near the Chadakoin River and the viaduct.
Will Warren County face a similar crisis in the coming years? Jamestown is only 22 minutes from downtown. How prepared would officials be to address this problem?
Ecklund’s state of emergency indicates that mental health is one of the key factors. The statement issued on the evening of July 25 leaves no room for denying that this problem has become too big for a community of 28,500 residents – the largest in the county.
Elected officials believe many of those arriving will not be able to return home because Jamestown is home to the only treatment facility within 55 miles, exacerbating a problem that began shortly after the COVID pandemic and the closure of Lakeshore Hospital in Irving in February 2020.
“The City is actively pushing for the establishment of additional mental health assessment centers throughout Western New York State to more effectively address this issue and provide critical support to those in need,” city officials said in a press release last month. “In collaboration with UPMC Chautauqua, the City of Jamestown is urging the Governor to review the need for an additional 939 facility in Western New York State or a neighboring county.”
This type of placement is a reference to Section 939 of the state Mental Hygiene Law, which allows for the involuntary commitment of individuals with mental illnesses who are considered a danger to themselves or others. City officials say people are often brought to Jamestown based on Section 939, as well as Sections 941 and 945 of the state Mental Hygiene Law.
These shipments are destined for UPMC Chautauqua from all over Western New York. Ecklund, who is still waiting for a response from the state, had no choice.
In Chautauqua County, the poverty rate is 17.4%, 6% higher than here, where it is 11.6%.
Locally, the Warren-Forest Counties Economic Opportunity Council is there for residents who need help. Its housing authority provides facilities and services to meet the needs of the homeless through emergency shelters, transitional and permanent housing programs, and housing assistance. Facilities and services are provided to individuals and families who are currently homeless or at risk of homelessness.
In Jamestown, the population is currently estimated at 300 and growing. Residents who want to help in the crisis are trying to make their voices heard. “Admittedly, they probably have a lot of problems,” said Cynthia Schoberg, a city resident, at a recent meeting. “That’s probably why they came here in the first place. So I hope we can take a leaf out of other cities’ book. I know there’s a program in Austin, Texas, where they’ve relocated everyone and put homeless people into tiny houses. They need safety. They need a place to lock away their few belongings. They need dignity.”
Earlier this week, a Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, resident who formerly owned property near Chautauqua Lake contacted our newspaper after reading about the problem. He said he left the region because he was frustrated with the lack of private investment in the area.
This person had the means and decided to move. Those who gathered in Jamestown are not so lucky, which is one of the reasons they stay.
Moreover, a different kind of community emerged in these camps. A new place that those who have nowhere to go can call home.
John D’Agostino is editor of the Times Observer, the Post-Journal and the OBSERVER in Dunkirk, N.Y. Send comments to [email protected] or call 716-487-1111, ext. 253.
