On a narrow strip of land along the Schuylkill River in southern Schuylkill County, a lone figure gathers firewood Monday afternoon near an encampment of makeshift tents.
The North Manheim Township enclave is not the work of campers enjoying the outdoors, but a permanent settlement of homeless people, according to neighbors on the opposite side of the river.
“We’ve had it with the vagabonds,” declared Stephen Zuk, who can see the encampment from the front porch of his 19th century farmhouse on Old Mill Road. “It’s been bad lately.”
Aside from shouts and threats from the occupants, Zuk says the camp has no running water, restrooms or indoor cooking facilities. Campers routinely build large fires, and of late have been burning old tires, he alleges.
“There are about seven to 10 people living there,” said Zuk, 61, a former construction worker.
On Monday afternoon, four people were visible on a pathway leading to the camp, which Zuk says is accessed from behind the Giant supermarket in the Cressona Mall.
Zuk intends to bring the situation to the attention of the North Manheim supervisors, who meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the township building.
He’s already formally asked the township to intervene against property owners on whose land the camp is situated: Miller Bros. Construction Inc., Schuylkill Haven, and Granite Point Optical, Wyomissing.
A North Manheim Twp. employee said the township had recently received a complaint about the camp. The township code enforcement officer was sent to investigate, though a report had yet to be filed.
Mark Hoover, Miller Bros. executive project manager, said the company, which purchased the property in May and plans to commercially development on the site, is working to remove campers from a portion of its property behind the former Days Inn on Route 61.
The company is attempting to locate relatives to intervene and convince one of the campers to leave, Hoover said.
“We’re giving them until the end of March to vacate,” he said.
Jeanette Triano-Sinn, director of Servants To All, My Father’s House in Pottsville, monitors homelessness through its Street Outreach Team.
“There are reasons why some homeless people prefer not to go into a shelter,” she said. “Mostly it’s mental health issues and addiction.”
For his part, Zuk intends to keep the pressure on officials to close the camp. He plans to take his quest to the Schuylkill County commissioners.
“This thing has gone on for 20 years,” he said. “It’s time something is done about it.”
Source: Berkshire mont