JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (WKBW) — The City of Jamestown is continuing to clear out and clean up several homeless encampments around the city, but the people being moved tell me they aren’t getting enough assistance finding a permanent home.
Monday, the city began clearing out an encampment off Main Street, along the Chadakoin River.
“I’m 53 years old. I’ve worked all my life. I just need a place to stay,” Troy Kightlinger said. “[I was told], they are going to start writing tickets and maybe arresting us.”
Troy is among the many homeless individuals living in Jamestown.
He’s been living underneath a bridge on Main Street for months, but he and dozens of others were removed by city personnel Monday.
“I hope the mayor tries to help more people,” Troy said. “We’re all going to hide somewhere else basically.”
Troy feels that in the three weeks since the city declared a state of emergency because of the homeless population, things have gotten both better and worse.
The city said by declaring a State of Emergency it was seeking to "secure the critical additional funding and resources necessary to address this pressing issue." You can watch our previous report below.
Troy told me that it shined a spotlight on them, encouraging many strangers to donate food and necessities to them.
“Thank you for helping us out, I appreciate it, I know a lot of people do,” Troy said.
For Troy, it feels like that care is only coming from strangers, and not the city itself.
“The mayor is not doing much for us here...We’re all just trying to struggle and survive…A lot of us, we will go to a job agency and get jobs. I want to work. I want to work again," said Troy.
The city issued a press release detailing several initiativesto help these individuals, however, nobody from the city was available to speak on camera.
Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. said Wednesday in a press release, “The county has limited homeless shelter beds, relying on area motels to house most of the homeless. Those beds are usually near capacity.”
The organization stated that it “does not support homeless sweeps” undertaken by the city, however, representatives declined to speak on camera.
