Collaboration, Creativity, Political Will Needed Now

On a call last week with nearly 100 citizen advocates, local elected officials, and organizers, I came away feeling a bit less overwhelmed and more focused on the steps ahead to help move Montgomery County forward. 

Convened by several local organizations, including the Collaborative Advocacy Network, the meeting began with legal updates related to homelessness from Marielle Macher, executive director of the Community Justice Project in Harrisburg, as well as Carolyn Johnson, chief counsel of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania.  

Despite the worrisome SCOTUS ruling in the case of Johnson vs. Grants Pass, legal protections such as the 14th Amendment still play important roles when cities and states try to take legal action against the unhoused, Macher said. For example, the due process clause of the 14th prohibits municipalities from interfering with “the right to travel.” Legal experts are planning next steps at this point in time and paying close attention to the Better Days Ahead case in Pottstown. 

The Grants Pass case has shaped how we’re discussing a “really difficult topic” with the broader community, said Mark Boorse, director of program development at Access Services. The ruling came down in the context and backdrop of a 300 percent increase over 3 years in street homelessness in Montgomery County, he added. In terms of overall evictions, our county ranks third in the commonwealth out of 67 counties. 

Mark Boorse (right) meets with people outside as part of Street Outreach efforts.

In addition to real collaboration, advocates must work hard to dispel misinformation, establish and reinforce the facts, and help municipal officials lead on an issue that should be viewed as a public health crisis, Boorse said. 

The last 40 minutes of the call were dedicated to strategizing on next engagement steps at the county and local levels. It is imperative that townships, boroughs, and cities in Pennsylvania take the lead in addressing our housing crisis. Please sign our pledge, modeled off the national "Housing Not Handcuffs" one, using this Google Form.

Updates for getting involved will be provided here and on our Facebook page in the coming weeks.