Dozens more Lancaster County residents have joined the homeless population over the last year, straining the services and resources available to help them.
Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition’s annual winter count found 526 people across the county were homeless in January: 107 living on the streets and 419 staying in shelters.
The total number of homeless grew by 54 people, or 11%, in a year, but the number of people living unsheltered increased more than fivefold. Last year, only 20 people were living on the streets.
Justin Eby, executive director of Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, which oversees the homelessness coalition, was not surprised by the increases. More factors contribute to homelessness than prevent it, he said, including the rising cost of living, low availability of affordable housing and the end of pandemic-era protections for low-income earners.
What happened: The borough’s safety committee will meet to consider updating its policies after Columbia waited a day before sending out a text notification about a shooting at 2:50 p.m. Aug. 5 near the intersection of Third and Cherry streets.
Why it matters: The borough has no set rules for letting people know immediately about emergencies via TextMyGov, a text-messaging service to communicate with residents. The police department posted information about the shooting on its CrimeWatch website Aug. 5. However, that data wasn’t shared with the borough’s texting service that day.
The emergency: Bullets hit three cars and four residences near the Market House. Witnesses told police they saw two men wearing dark clothing open fire on another person walking in the area. The targeted individual escaped unharmed.
Quotables: “Why did it take 24 hours?” asked Sharon Lintner, council member. President Heather Zink said, “I thought this was the whole purpose of TextMyGov.”
Response: “The staff that we had on did not have the ability to post,” said police Chief Jack Brommer. Mark Stivers, borough manager, said he can send out text messages at any time and will do so once the police department or an authorized borough staff member sends him a statement. “I won’t create the statement,” he said.
More: Brommer and Mayor Leo Lutz both said officers don’t have time to write a statement for text messages while they are handling an emergency.
TextmyGov: The free texting service, which started a year ago, allows residents to sign up to receive messages about items such as trash collection changes, road closures and snow days. Residents also can text the borough about problems. The borough pays about $5,500 a year for this service.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 866-366-3723, uses a risk-based inspection reporting process for restaurants and other food handlers.
#homegoodies, 336 Locust St., Columbia, Aug. 25. Pass. Food employees involved in food preparation not wearing proper hair restraints such as nets, hats or beard covers. Repeat violation of 2021, 2022 and 2023. Food facility is using jelly from an unapproved source. Food utensils in portable filters for the espresso machine stored in a container of water that is not maintained at 135 F. Warewashing sink does not have basins large enough to accommodate the largest piece of equipment needing manual warewashing. Deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Lights are not shielded or shatterproof over the food preparation area in the back.
Beginning immediately, the Columbia Borough Police Department and Columbia Borough Codes Department are cracking down on people who throw household waste into public trash receptacles.
This audio is being posted as a public service, since borough officials have not posted a recording of the meeting to YouTube as promised. Details will be posted later.
Columbia Spy 