Atlanta to shut camp where unhoused man was killed during clearing
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A man named Willie places a sign honoring Cornelius Taylor, an unsheltered man who was fatally injured during the clearing of an encampment in Old Fourth Ward. Photo: Thomas Wheatley/Axios
The city of Atlanta will permanently shut down the homeless encampment in Old Fourth Ward where a man was killed during a clearing operation.
Why it matters: The clearing of the camp on Old Wheat Street, which resulted in the death of Cornelius Taylor, led to advocates calling for a moratorium on encampment clearings and the city appointing a 90-Day Homelessness Task Force.
- The task force released recommended changes to the shutdown process.
The latest: The cleaning and shutdown will begin at 7:30am Thursday, said Chatiqua Ellison, the mayor's interim senior adviser for housing. She and other officials discussed the closing at a press briefing Monday.
- Old Wheat Street runs between Boulevard and Auburn Avenue and is near Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park.
What they're saying: The 14 people currently living on the site will be offered new places to live, said Cathryn Vassell, CEO of Partners for HOME, the city's nonprofit services agency.
- Signage was posted at the site notifying its residents of the shutdown 15 days ahead of the planned date, and case workers have been visiting the site to assess the needs of those living there.
- The people who've accepted will be moved into what Vassell calls "welcome housing," where they can decide whether they want to stay there short term or long term.
- If people do not accept the housing, they will be offered short-term shelter, "and then we can make another offer down the road as other housing solutions come up," Vassell said.
Catch up quick: According to an Atlanta police incident report, Department of Public Works crews were clearing the encampment on Jan. 16 when an officer saw a man waving his arms from a tent that had just been moved by a machine.
- The man, who "was in clear distress," told an officer something fell on him, but he slipped into unconsciousness and was later pronounced dead.
- He was later identified as Taylor, 46.
Friction point: Taylor's death sparked outrage from local advocates, who pressed the city to improve housing options for unsheltered residents and called for a pause on encampment clearings.
The other side: Several people spoke in opposition to the planned closing during Monday's City Council meeting.
- "We are talking about removing residents of Atlanta from their homes in the most vicious, unethical and brutal way possible," said resident Jason Klein.
State of play: Atlanta police Major Jeff Cantin said Monday the city is closing the encampment not because of next year's FIFA World Cup, but as part of an ongoing, years-long city effort.
The big picture: While the city of Atlanta contends with homelessness within its borders, it's also grappling with the number of unhoused people who are relocating to the city.
- People from other areas are dropping people off at the Gateway Center, which is "now adding to our workload," Cantin said, referring to the nonprofit that connects unhoused people with the resources needed to find a home.
What's next: Cantin said once the encampment is closed and cleaned, it will be staffed around the clock and signage will be posted to prevent new people from moving into the area.
- "We will do our best to work with anybody that's trying to come back there and refer them either to diversion or we'll have to take further steps with the H.O.P.E. Team and our personnel," he said.