Philadelphia to Evict Homeless Encampment, Crackdown on Drug Activity

Philadelphia is set to clear a homeless encampment on Wednesday in an area known as the center of the city’s opioid crisis, fulfilling a campaign promise made by newly elected Mayor Cherelle Parker.

This initiative was outlined in Parker’s 100-Day Action Plan as a strategy to address the violence associated with widespread illicit drug use and homelessness in the area.

The clearing operation will involve a partial closure of the section of the city for several hours, as reported by the Washington Examiner on Tuesday.

“The temporary closure is necessary to ensure the safety of city outreach teams as they interact with individuals during the final day of encampment resolution on Wednesday, May 8, where residents of the encampment have been instructed to dismantle any tents and structures posing public health and safety risks and obstructing sidewalk access,” stated Parker’s office in a release.

For years, drugs and violence have plagued the Kensington neighborhood, fueled by an illegal billion-dollar opioid trade that has resulted in widespread drug use and gun violence, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

As a result, the Kensington area has become known as the largest “open-air drug market” on the East Coast.

Between 2015 and 2022, the city recorded 1,270 fatal overdoses in Kensington alone, along with over 1,400 shootings.

Recent estimates indicate that there are at least 675 homeless individuals in the Kensington section, with many city officials believing the actual number is much higher, reports the Inquirer.

The city’s efforts to dismantle the encampment mark the final phase of a “monthlong encampment resolution process” that began in April, according to CBS News.