Northampton’s effort to destroy and evict those experiencing homelessness from their encampment known as Moose Camp is wrong. It is unfair to treat those experiencing homelessness as trash, as they are people too.

Recently the Supreme Court ruled that those sleeping outside are no longer protected from punishment under the Eighth Amendment. The budget in Massachusetts for emergency shelters was repealed and now there are limits on how long someone can stay in a shelter, leaving encampments as the only option for some people. According to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, sweeps of encampments do not end homelessness but instead damage people’s well-being, connections, and health. They take away safety and resources, and cause trauma.

Encampments provide a sense of community for those experiencing homelessness. They provide safety, security and companionship for a group of people who experience relational poverty. As someone who has worked directly with those experiencing homelessness, these encampments are necessary for some people’s survival, as we have been cutting our budget for those in these situations, when everyone deserves a place to live.

Homelessness is one of the loneliest things someone can go through, and instead of taking away their home where they have a sense of community they can relate to, we need to help them. Our community can do better.

Reach out to the Northampton mayor’s office and city officials. Express to them that these encampments are vital or do more for those experiencing homelessness to get them off the streets.

Brianna Wool

Easthampton