Summary
City of Harrisburg officials have asked the area under the Mulberry Street Bridge be vacated so Public Works can attend to a growing public health and safety emergency.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2023
The City of Harrisburg, in partnership with the Capital Area Coalition on Homelessness (CACH), had asked anyone living under the Mulberry Street Bridge to vacate the area by the end of Sunday, January 22. As of Monday morning, it is believed about five people remain. City of Harrisburg Public Works and Harrisburg Bureau of Police will work with these individuals to get through what is obviously an immensely difficult time. No arrests will be made and no one will be taken into custody for simply choosing not to leave, because being homeless is not a crime.
City officials will attempt to convince individuals to relocate due to the health and safety emergency under the bridge. The City of Harrisburg has established a temporary location for an encampment. City workers and CACH volunteers have teamed up to help move individuals and their belongings and will continue to do so. The specific location of this property will not be publicly disclosed out of respect and privacy for the individuals choosing to live there.
City of Harrisburg Public Works plans to begin the clean-up process under the bridge on Tuesday, January 24.
•The first will be clearing the area of all trash and any material left behind. This is expected to take approximately 48 hours.
•Once trash removal has commenced, an exterminator company will address the rat infestation. This process will take in the neighborhood of six weeks.
During the extermination process, individuals will not be allowed under the Mulberry Street Bridge for their own safety. Once clean, the decision to allow individuals back under the bridge rests with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which owns the land where the encampment was situated.