JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — A community action agency wants to help the homeless, who are camped out in tents in Jamestown.
The city late last month declared a state of emergency over hundreds of people experiencing homelessness, camping in filthy conditions near human waste and needles. The city said it wants help to clean it up.
Salamanca and Seneca Nation have also addressed homeless encampments this summer.
A nonprofit group called Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. on Thursday said it raising awareness and attempting to help the homeless. Its leaders said they want city leaders to find a compassionate way to fix the problem.
"Our agency is aware of the seriousness of the problem, locally and across the country," the group's CEO, Diane Hewitt-Johnson, said in a statement.
"The shortage of housing units and limited resources results in major gaps in services. We believe in working collaboratively with all agencies responsible for addressing homelessness in Chautauqua County to devise a plan that is solution-based, respectful, and allows those experiencing homelessness to maintain their dignity."
Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc. said it does not support sweeps of encampments. Instead, the group said it would like to see communities use "a more measured approach that focuses on addressing the root causes of homelessness."
The group said an increase in "permanent housing with supportive services for mental health and substance use" and improved access to emergency shelters would help.
"Motels are not the best temporary option for people experiencing homelessness as they do not include support services," the group said in a statement.