Homeless Rally In Baltimore, Demand City Leaders Do More To Help Them
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Members of the homeless community and their advocates rallied at Baltimore City Hall on New Year's Day. They shared a list of demands they have for city leaders -- a plea on behalf of the city's homeless.
One group is living under the Interstate 83 bypass bridge in an encampment they say is only getting bigger by the day.
"Sleeping under the bridge and all that," said Ashford Davis. "Man, it's bone cold. We under there how can you all sit and let that happen. Just drive past and overlook us. That's not right!"
As temperatures continue to drop, desperation continues to grow.
"They have a right to feel hopeless,' said advocate Christina Flowers. "We have disappointed them, not only as media and public. We watch them sleep under these bridges."
Demanding the city's elected leaders do more.
"No one is engaging us from the city with solutions," Flowers added.
They say two homeless women have died in the encampment, among them, Michael Webster's wife, Lisa.
"She was my other half," said Webster.
In a statement earlier this month, Mayor Brandon Scott offered his condolences to the families of the two women who died and said he's committed to making homelessness in our city rare and brief.
Michael and others say they need things like alternative housing, employment opportunities and trauma therapy after living a life on the streets for years.
"I've been out here seven years, not because I wanted to be but because I missed every loophole, " Webster said. "I'm just tired man. Everybody out here, we're all tired."
This group said they promise to have more rallies here at City Hall until they get a response from the city's leaders.
