Christina Park became a city-sanctioned unhoused community site in October. It’s now set to close June 15, according to a statement from the Mayor’s Office released Monday.
Mayor John Carney’s Director of Communications Caroline Klinger said the decision was not taken lightly.
“This was always intended to be a temporary solution grounded in balancing the compassion for the homeless with the needs of the broader community,” Klinger said. “So this decision was made to help strike that balance, and we've heard from a lot of residents of the surrounding community who are eager for the park to return to a more recreational use.”
The city invested in providing tents, pallets and social services at the park and hired the nonprofit Friendship House to help monitor residents and connect them to resources.
Friendship House CEO Kim Eppehimer said her team was able to get 24 people into more sustainable housing situations in just a few months.
“I think it just shows how much potential there is in unifying resources, getting people to a point they feel that they have a little bit of stability, even if it is in an encampment, and that work is being undone,” Eppehimer said.
About 50 people are living at the park now, and none are guaranteed housing by the time the park closes.
“We can't guarantee that everyone will opt in to the resources that will be offered, but it's our intention to reach as many people as possible,” Klinger said.
Friendship House works to connect folks to housing opportunities including substance use treatment, hotel vouchers and long-term solutions like apartments.
But one month to house more than 50 people is a tall order, Eppehimer said.
“I was really hoping that we would get maybe at least 18 months to two years as a minimum floor of getting more stability and getting the possibility of getting the most folks into places or access to resources that meant the most to them,” Eppehimer said. “The other challenge, though, is even if we did that, people are constantly coming into the park.”
Eppehimer added the city’s one-month timeline may be enough to get some of Christina Park’s residents housed, but it’s too short a timeline to get everyone taken care of. Overall, she said this decision just doesn’t make sense.
“I think they've put a lot of investment into a temporary situation where they feel that it is okay to then undo that…” Eppehimer said. “I'm concerned that the disruption is going to refocus people. I'm concerned that they're going to have a harder time reaching out and accepting some of the services, because now they're going to be focused back on, well, where am I going to lay my head tonight, come June 15.”
Just last month, the city of Wilmington provided tents to all residents and enforced a uniform arrangement at the park.
After the park is cleaned June 16 to June 25, it will be open to all community members during operational hours. Camping will no longer be permitted after June 15.
Delaware Public Media asked if park residents would be at risk of arrest if they remain in place or move their belongings to another park. Klinger responded by saying city officials hope park residents will opt into the support they are offered over the next several weeks.
