Forcibly Displacing Approximately 20 Homeless Individuals Daily at Tropicana Atlantic City
Rewritten Article:
Winter cold hits hard in Atlantic City, with the Tropicana casino grappling a persistent issue: the influx of homeless individuals seeking shelter.
According to Chris Downey, the casino's Vice President of Casino Operations, security personnel are kicking out around 20 people per day from the building. "We're swimming against the tide here," Downey noted over the weekend, sharing that they evicted 13 individuals just on a Friday morning.
Homeless individuals are finding their way into the casino via several entrances.
Downey revealed that the homeless population is slipping into the casino through diverse entry points, including fire exits. Despite police assisting in removing them, they continue to return.
Atlantic City has taken a hard stance on its homeless population over the past year, dismantling a prominent encampment beneath its Boardwalk in September.jarrod Barnes, City Director of Health and Human Services, described the site as an illegal complex offering "living spaces, heat, electricity, and actual beds."
The city council is considering a law that would prevent people from sleeping in public spaces, following the US Supreme Court's decision to allow municipalities to outlaw homeless encampments if they desire.
Battling Homelessness in Atlantic City: A Multi-pronged Strategy
The city's homelessness reduction and public safety initiatives are integral parts of a broader coordinated approach involving local government and state agencies.
1. Community Efforts for Homelessness Reduction, Economic Growth, and Public SafetyThe New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has committed to supporting Atlantic City's objectives until 2025, focusing on reducing homelessness, stimulating economic development, and improving public safety. This includes examining tax abatement strategies and revitalizing community service locations such as Renaissance Plaza to better assist those in need. Additionally, under new public safety leadership, police staffing is being expanded to bolster security in busy areas like casinos.[3]
2. Enhanced Emergency Shelter and Social Services FundingAt the state level, emergency shelter funding worth over $5 million is recommended for counties, contingent on matching funds from the local government. This funding will sustain nonprofits, civic centers, and other organizations that provide temporary shelter, aiming to decrease the number of unsheltered individuals. Moreover, an additional $5.25 million in Social Services for Homeless Prevention (SSH) funding is proposed to boost transitional housing and support for those at risk of homelessness, particularly targeting underserved populations with limited income.[2]
3. Enforcement of Laws Against Sleeping or Camping in Public SpacesThough not specific to Atlantic City, enforcing laws that prohibit sleeping or camping on public property has led to a decline in visible homeless populations in certain New Jersey cities. This approach encourages the homeless to move away from highly visible public areas, with some ending up in less accessible locations like forests or abandoned buildings.[5]
Preventing Homeless Individuals from Entering the Tropicana Casino
1. Increased Police Presence and Public Safety MeasuresThe city's plan includes strengthening police staffing through new leadership to enhance security and manage public order around casinos. The increased law enforcement presence aims to deter individuals from seeking shelter or loitering inside casinos without legitimate business.[3]
2. Providing Accessible Shelter and Resources NearbyBoosting emergency and transitional shelter capacity through increased state funding can offer viable alternatives to public spaces and casino entrances for homeless individuals, addressing their needs more proactively, and decreasing the probability they enter casinos to find shelter or help.[2][3]
3. Redeveloping Community Service FacilitiesRenovating spaces like Renaissance Plaza as hubs for community services will create centralized locations where homeless individuals can access assistance in a structured environment, potentially lessening their need to enter private businesses such as casinos for refuge or aid.[3]
1. Combating Homelessness at Tropicana Casino: Stronger Security MeasuresAmid concerns of homeless individuals seeking refuge, the Tropicana casino could consider reinforcing security protocols to prevent entry through restricted areas like fire exits.
2. Advocating for Politics: Drafting Laws Against Homeless EncampmentsWith the city council considering a law prohibiting sleeping in public spaces, efforts should also focus on enforcing legislation against homeless encampments in general-news zones such as casinos.
3. Social Justice in Focus: Prioritizing Crime and Justice for Homeless IndividualsPolice operations, in partnership with social services, could target high-risk areas like casinos for outreach and assistance to homeless individuals, aiming to divert them from the criminal justice system as much as possible.
4. Coordinated Efforts: Unifying Multiple Agencies to Combat HomelessnessGovernment entities must work in tandem to address the homeless issue, particularly focusing on coordinating resources for emergency and transitional shelters, increasing police presence, and revitalizing community service facilities, in order to bring the homeless away from casinos and towards adequate hosting and support structures.
