Dozens Of Tents Set Up Along Parkway To Bring Attention To City's Homeless Problem

Trang Do reports.

DRIVE AND OLD LINCOLN HIGHWAY.ONE LANE THERE IS BLOCKED.AND DOZENS OF TENTS HAVEBEEN SET UP ALONG THE BENFRANKLIN PARKWAY, AND MORECOULD BE ON THE WAY TO HELPBRING AWARENESS TO THE CITYHOMELESS PROBLEM.TRANG DO LIVE THIS MORNING,ALONG THE PARKWAY WITH MORE ONTHAT STORY THERE, TRANG, GOODMORNING.ORGANIZED PROTEST CALLINGFOR PERSONMENT HOUSING FORTHOSE WHO NEED IT.STARTED LAST WEEK TAKES UP THELENGTH OF VONCOLN FIELD HERENEXT TO THE PARKWAY.THESE ORGANIZERS SAY THEY'REGOING REMAIN OUT HERE UNTILTHEIR DEMANDS ARE MET.BEN FRANKLIN PARKWAY ALSOTHE SETTING FOR PROTESTS INTHE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.BUT THIS ONE AT 22ND STREETISN'T MOVING.ACTIVISTS SET UP TENTCOMMUNITY CALLING AS WELL ASPERSONMENT HOUSING IN THE CITYTHEY DEEM AREA QUOTE NO COPZONE.IT HAS PROVIDED THE CITY WITHA LIST OF SEVEN DEMANDS.ACCORDING TO A LETTER POSTEDON THE OCCUPIED PHA FACEBOOKPAGE, THESE DEMANDS INCLUDETRANSFERRING THE OWNERSHIP OFCITY-OWNED VACANT PROPERTY TOA COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FOR LOWINCOME HOUSING, THAT WILL BEADMINISTERED BY MEMBERS OF THECOMMUNITY THEY ALSO WANT THECITY TO SANCTION THE CAMP ONTHE PARKWAY AS PERMANENT LEGALAND VALID AND AS NO POLICESANCTION OTHER END CAMMENTSTHAT MAY POP UP ELSEWHERE.THAT WILL STATEMENTSPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY TOLD"EYEWITNESS NEWS," QUOTE, THISEND CAMMENT WAS ORIGINALLYORGANIZED NOT BY HOMELESSINDIVIDUALS, BUT BY GROUPSIDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS THEWORKERS REVOLUTIONARYCOLLECTIVE, AND OCCUPY PHA.MEMBERS HAVE SINCE RECRUITEDHOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO BEPART OF THE END CAMMENT.HOMELESS OUTREACH WORKERS WHOVISITED SITE TO OFFER HOUSINGAND SERVICES WERE ASKED TOSTAY AWAY.THAT CITY SPOKESPERSON SAYSTHE CITY DOES RECOGNIZE THEIRRIGHT TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST,HOWEVER, HAVING AN ENCAMPMENTON A PARK LIKE THIS ISPROHIBITED IN THE CITY.THEY SAY THEY'RE ALSO VERYCONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH ANDSAFETY RISKS NOW WITHCOVID-19.FOR NOW, LIVE FROM THE BENFRANKLIN PARKWAY, I'M TRANG