From the Director’s Desk
Sunanda Charles
In the life of a person experiencing homelessness, there are a myriad of problems in a day, and encountering law enforcement while living on the streets is one of them. At the Center, we frequently work with guests who may have justice involvement, many of whom receive citations for quality-of-life offenses. In the spring of 2021, we began exploring ideas to assist people who had frequent justice involvement due to their unhoused status.
My research led me to the American Bar Association’s website – to their page dedicated to Homelessness and Poverty. I contacted them and was pleasantly surprised at their excitement to share information and provide support with setting up a Homeless Court. It was an honor to meet Mr. Steve Binder, creator of the Homeless Court Program, who was ready to provide technical assistance to replicate the model in our community. Under this model, it was clear that “Local homeless service agencies—not law enforcement—are the gateway for participants.”
I immediately reached out to the then Magisterial District Judge Gregory Scott who wholeheartedly supported the idea and agreed to collaborate with us and other stakeholders. With a $15,000 grant from Health Spark Foundation, we began exploring the idea. In February 2022, when we were about to initiate a pilot of the program, Judge Scott resigned from his office to run for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 54th District. For us, it was a setback in terms of establishing the Homeless Court. We continued to work on this, and I had the opportunity to attend the American Bar Association’s National Homeless Court Summit for Homelessness in September of 2022 in Washington DC.
The Norristown Hospitality Center has consistently partnered with local, county, and even state police, public defenders, judges, and probation/parole to minimize or even end this cycle of recidivism over nuisance “crimes”. Public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, fighting, trespassing etc. should not end with jail time. Our part begins with being aware of recently filed charges, and warrants being issued. Clients are very often anxious about court proceedings and law enforcement interaction, which can lead to more inappropriate responses and stricter punishment. Our staff has been able intercede and advocate on behalf of our clients with police, courts, and adult supervision, to lessen the burden on our jails and courts, while easing the anxiety and recidivism caused by transience and poverty.
While we wait for this dream to become a reality, I am committed to find innovative ways to remove barriers for people experiencing homelessness. Thank you for your partnership in this vital work.
