A family in Concord, New Hampshire, is at a loss of what to do about a growing homeless encampment that is directly behind their historic house.
Robin Bach and her husband have worked hard to restore their 19th century Walker residence for their children, ages 8 and 11, to enjoy for years to come, the Concord Monitor reported Saturday.
Family calls cops 37 times, receives death threats from encampment of violent vagabonds behind dream home: ‘I can’t even use my backyard’ https://t.co/HGdS3La1xU pic.twitter.com/DeV2XKYUW6
— New York Post (@nypost) July 7, 2024
However, there is an expanding homeless encampment in the woods on their property that has given them cause for concern because no one seems to know who is responsible for it.
Bach said her children are afraid to play outside and she has called the police 37 times since 2018 due to numerous issues, such as gunshots, linked to the camp.
One incident happened when a man on their property allegedly threatened to shoot her husband after he asked him to leave. In another instance, Bach heard screams of “get off me, get off me” coming from nearby, and yet another incident happened when a dumpster fire erupted two doors down.
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Bach said the situation is now the “worst it’s ever been,” adding that she cannot use her backyard. “I would like my children to be independent and feel comfortable going outside and playing and they won’t,” she noted.
The homeowner recognizes it is a complicated issue, and while she wants the encampment removed, she is concerned about where the people living there will go.
“It is clear to her that the rotation of people living on her property need help and stable housing. Most recently, she talked to a man living in one tent who holds a 9 to 5 job and has large contractor bags cleaning up his area,” the Monitor article read, noting Bach wants city officials to take care of the problem and address the needs of the homeless.
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Please click here to read the full Monitor report.
The Supreme Court ruled in June that it is not “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment to remove the homeless from encampments and put them behind bars for violating anti-camping laws, according to Breitbart News.
The outlet continued:
The case, City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, was watched closely by civic leaders nationwide who are struggling to deal with homelessness — especially in Los Angeles, California, where the homeless population has continued to grow.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, expressed sympathy for the homeless, and acknowledged that the issue is complex and difficult to resolve. But he noted that laws against encampments were “commonplace,” and said that the Eighth Amendment was a “poor foundation” on which to mount a challenge against them. The right forum in which to debate responses to homelessness was in democratically elected governments, not in the federal courts.
The city of Manchester, New Hampshire, began enforcing a ban on homeless encampments in public parks and on streets after the court’s ruling, the Maine Wire reported Sunday.
New Hampshire experienced an increase in homelessness in 2022, according to a December article by New Hampshire Public Radio, which cited a report by the nonprofit group NH Coalition to End Homelessness.
“The report also found more people are experiencing chronic or unsheltered homelessness, making them more vulnerable to various health and safety risks,” the article said.