City officials asked ‘multiple times’ for railroad to pump the brakes
Many of the people who previously lived behind the Amtrak station in East Lawrence did not anticipate that they’d have to leave the property where they recently moved within two months.
Roughly 30 people are living on railroad-owned property near Eighth and Delaware streets, about a quarter-mile southeast of the Amtrak camp. Many of them moved there in mid-October with assistance from advocates and the City of Lawrence when the city closed the Amtrak camp. The area is nicknamed “the Hole” or “Eighth Street.”
Thursday afternoon, BNSF Railway workers posted notices that the people living on the property must remove their possessions within 72 hours, or by 2:45 p.m. Sunday. The notice was posted at at least one other, smaller campsite nearby, as well.
Many people were working to pack up their remaining belongings once again Sunday afternoon, but with a marked difference: most had no destination.
Bill Rodgers, who is currently living on the railroad property, was curious what had prompted the railroad to post this camp now. He said some people have been living in the area for years.
BNSF Railway did not directly answer that question, nor several others we asked.
But Kendall Sloan, a spokesperson for the railroad, said via email that “BNSF was informed of this homeless camp on our property a few weeks ago. Due to the safety risk it poses for the unhoused population as well as our workers, we have asked those individuals to vacate.”
The City of Lawrence learned of the railroad’s intent in mid-November, and “we immediately advocated for a coordinated closure in the spring to allow time to connect individuals to shelter and critical services,” according to an emailed statement. “Unfortunately, our efforts to partner with BNSF have been largely rejected, and their decision to proceed with a sweep contradicts best practices for addressing homelessness.”
And that “sweep” — the actual act of forcing people off the property and destroying belongings left behind — didn’t happen on Sunday, contributing to further confusion for the people living at the camp.
Misty Bosch-Hastings, director of the city’s homeless solutions division, wrote in an email to a BNSF representative on Nov. 24: “While we are working weekly in these camps to build rapport and trust, we are also gearing up for winter emergency shelter, which places additional demands on our resources. Some individuals within these camps are simply not aware of their need for care and services, and we are working with state agencies to ensure that those requiring a higher level of care are able to access it. As you can imagine, this takes time. I am deeply concerned about what might happen to these individuals if their only current source of safety and stability is disrupted prematurely.”
Bosch-Hastings’ team was set to meet with BNSF representatives and Lawrence police at 3 p.m. Thursday until the railroad told her they were going to post notices at the camp anyway, “subverting any ability for us to collaborate on a solution,” according to a timeline the city provided. Bosch-Hastings then canceled that meeting.
The city said in a statement that officials asked BNSF multiple times not to sweep the camp, but “These pleas for partnership and humanity fell on deaf ears. The private property owners are choosing to sweep the camp anyway.”
Boom, a resident of the railroad property, has spoken with this publication when he had to move out of the North Lawrence camp in April, the Amtrak camp in October and now as he prepares to leave the Hole. Many others have been displaced multiple times in the last eight months as well.
He said folks have started preparing for winter at the Hole, insulating their living spaces and securing heaters, firewood and proper clothing.
“It’s a frustrating, untrusting situation,” Boom said of the camp being posted. “Nobody’s near about done, ‘cause they only gave three days.”
Boom said some advocates and members of community organizations had visited the camp since BNSF posted the notices, but he hadn’t seen anyone from the city’s Homeless Response Team.
“Every time it’s something like this, the team shows up before, and then you don’t see them till the next place you move,” he said.
The city said that “the HRT cannot and will not assist in the physical removal of individuals during the sweep, as this approach undermines humane and effective practices.”
“We are committed to ending chronic homelessness, but this camp sweep is not the way,” Assistant City Manager Brandon McGuire said in an emailed statement.
“We will continue to attempt to collaborate with BNSF, but so far, our attempts to collaborate with this private property owner have been rejected,” McGuire’s statement continued. “This is a high need population of people. We’re concerned about the tactics used here, and will continue to work to connect this group with much needed services and shelter.”
But Muney Moss, another resident of the railroad property, on Sunday expressed some frustrations with both the city and the railroad.
He said he was “sick of the catastrophe that they’re putting on for us and trying to say they’re helping with it.”
“They’re demolishing everything … they’re not trying to fulfill anything that they say they’re doing,” he said.
Moss said he felt that he and other residents were being bullied and forced into an even more life-threatening situation than the one they’re in now. He said the railroad property was vacant and not being used for anything, and he feels that they’re out of people’s way there.
“We already got to go through the hardship of not having anywhere to go to live, and now you’re taking it from us,” Moss said.
When the city closed the Amtrak camp, a former resident said she was still adjusting after moving to the Hole, but being with the people she’s already lived around before brought her peace of mind. As of Sunday, it wasn’t clear whether people who have formed a community would be able to find another place where they could go together.
City spokespeople did not respond directly to a question asking if they had suggestions of places people could go after leaving the Hole.
However, “Our HRT team is still committed to connecting with these folks to get them the supportive services they need. That could include emergency shelter, connections to other agencies, etc.,” the city’s statement read. “If these campers wish to enter shelter, we can, and will, assist with that.”
Representatives of the railroad did not respond Sunday evening to a follow-up email asking when camp residents should expect enforcement of the posted notices and giving the railroad an opportunity to respond to the city’s comments.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
Molly Adams (she/her), photojournalist and news operations coordinator for The Lawrence Times, can be reached at molly@lawrencekstimes.com. Check out more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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