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Editor’s note: This story has been clarified to note that Catholic Charities West Virginia has formally offered to operate a proposed managed homeless camp in Wheeling.
So here we are, at the beginning of a new year, and Wheeling's homeless crisis continues to dominate the landscape. A total ban on homeless camping on public property began on Jan. 1, per the direction and vote of Wheeling City Council. It took only two days for City Manager Robert Herron to alter that ban and allow for camps along the Heritage Trail near Tunnel Green to remain intact.
From all reports, the Winter Freeze Shelter on 16th Street downtown at The Life Hub building is full each evening. Then, come 8 a.m., all those who stayed overnight are pushed out to wander the streets, looking for someplace to stay warm.
These issues were supposed to be dealt with when City Council created the homeless liaison position in summer 2021. In creating the post, council members indicated they expected the homeless liaison to help solve the city's homeless crisis. That would take place through better communication and coordination with the various agencies in town that serve the homeless, among other strategies.
Unfortunately, it seems that hasn't happened. If anything, the homeless problem has gotten worse over the past two years.
As part of prohibiting camping on public property, city council authorized Herron to establish one managed camp in Wheeling for the homeless, as many prefer to live outdoors. City leaders have said they wouldn't run the camp but instead would rely on other agencies to do so. Catholic Charities West Virginia has stepped forward and offered to manage a camp, but city officials have yet to identify a site and set the camp’s rules.
"I have asked groups associated with the homeless and haven't received any appropriate suggestions yet," Herron said of running a managed camp. "I have developed draft rules for a managed camp and sent those to various applicable agencies for comment, and I did receive some feedback."
If we're going to prohibit camping on public property -- and that's perfectly acceptable public policy -- then city leaders failed in not planning for a managed camp to coincide with the ban. The homeless are here; enacting rules that impact their existence without any real plan in place is just wrong.
Consider comments from Dr. William Mercer who asked City Council to hold off on enforcing a ban until at least one managed camp is in place: "These 'sweeps' endanger their health and well-being, and we're concerned that this is what's going to happen here," Mercer said of the city displacing the area's homeless. "I think a managed camp is a good idea -- in fact, I think that we need two. I know a lot of agencies have been working with the city on a managed camp, but there's not one in place. These people have no place to go."
So where does the city go from here? Its homeless liaison, Melissa Adams, is now both the interim executive director of The Life Hub and still a city employee, so setting up and operating that venture being funded in part by tax dollars is consuming her time. There's a law on the books that prohibits camping on public property, but apparently it's not being enforced. Local agencies aren't stepping forward to run a camp. And with a municipal election in the coming months, those on council seeking re-election may shy away from the issue altogether. This is a bad look for Wheeling. For a city that prides itself on being welcome to all, the actions of this council, administration and local homeless advocates appear to say otherwise.
We must do better in caring for the most vulnerable among us. Wheeling needs a plan immediately to address the matter.