An online petition is asking Princeton鈥檚 municipal council to take action on encampments of unhoused people in and near the community.
The petition, on the change.org platform, was started earlier this month by Amanda Holden. Since that time, it has reached around 400 signatures.
鈥淲e, the undersigned residents, business owners, and community members, are submitting this petition to express serious and urgent concerns regarding the increase in homeless encampments 鈥� particularly along the riverside and other public lands 鈥� and the growing public normalization of illegal drug use within these encampments and shared community spaces,鈥� the petition reads.
鈥淲e are calling for a responsible and compassionate approach that safeguards public spaces, protects community health and safety, and ensures that vulnerable individuals receive the proper supports and services they deserve.鈥�
The petition adds that the encampments are creating risks to public health, safety, the environment and the integrity of the community.
Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne said encampments are not a new issue in Princeton, and there is considerable talk about the situation within the community.
However, the reality is not the same as the statements made within the petition, he added.
He said the community has not experienced an increase in calls about drug use or needles found in the community. Police calls about theft and vagrancy also have not shown noticeable increases, he said.
Coyne said there are three encampments in and near the community, with around 25 people in total. Many are from within the community rather than transients. And the majority of those experiencing homelessness are people he knows or members of families he knows. As a result, addressing the community鈥檚 unhoused population has taken on a personal dimension for him.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter where you go. It鈥檚 in every community,鈥� he said of unhoused populations.
The Town of Princeton has been working to address its unhoused population, but there are no quick and easy fixes, he said.
The town is working with 18 organizations and government divisions to find solutions. Coordinating between this many organizations is challenging.
In addition, some of the encampments are on Crown land, making enforcement difficult for the town.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 something we can fix overnight,鈥� he said.
Coyne is confident that there are ways for the town to work with its unhoused population, but this will take a united effort from various levels of government.
鈥淲e want to be part of the solution, but we can鈥檛 be the only part of the solution,鈥� he said.
Coyne has asked for a meeting with the author of the petition, to discuss the issues she has raised.
