GEORGETOWN, De. -- The towns mayoral election is Saturday, May 11th. Throughout the campaign, the town's homeless pallet village has been a hot topic of debate.
The question: whether the shelter is doing more harm than good. On Friday, those who run the shelter defended their cause, their organization and their commitment to Georgetown.
There are allegations around town that the pallet village is drawing in more homeless people. It has been labeled as a 'magnet'.
Angela Townsend, the candidate going up against current mayor Bill West, spoke with us on Friday. She told us she does believes the village is a magnet and went on to say:
"I'm not necessarily saying the pallet's being a magnet is a bad thing, evidently it's doing some good if people are attracted to it," said Townsend.
Townsend said she believes the problem in Georgetown is two fold. She said she spoke with two homeless people outside of the pallet village, one of them was from Virginia, the other from Pennsylvania.
She said when she asked both men what drew them to Georgetown they responded "we're here because of the free stuff".
Townsend said businesses in Georgetown are handing out items like tents, clothes and providing meals to the homeless.
"I don't mind anything about helping the needy, helping," said Townsend. "But in a lot cases they're enabling these people to be homeless."
She said the pallet's can be viewed in the same light, and that homeless people have told her they came to town for the village.
Some of the concerns surrounding the homeless population can be linked to a recent incident at the local little league baseball field.
We spoke to Mayor Bill West on Friday as well.
"Let me tell you that the pallet village is not causing the problem, it's been nothing but a success," said West. '
West told us he believes people are attempting to put the shelter in a bad light as a 'ploy to get him out of office'.
Taking a similar stance to Townsend, West believes part of the problem stems from local businesses.
"We've got three locations of businesses that are catering to homeless people and they're giving them food and they're giving them clothes and tents and bicycles," said West.
West said a better solution is providing resources.
"They need mental health, they need [help with] alcoholism, they need drug rehab, they need help," said West. "Just by giving these things and sending them on their way, they're not getting the necessary things to help them be a better person."
Amidst all of this, the Springboard Collaborative Pallet Village held a press conference on Friday.
Executive Director Judson Malone believes the homes are not an attraction, but an alternative.
"It's a bold experiment if I may say to demonstrate how we can really effectively address the issue of homelessness as oppose to just talk about it," said Malone.
Addressing the recent event at the little league field, where human feces and needles were found in the dugouts, Malone said he doesn't think anyone from his program is responsible.
"Unfortunately some of them are deeply addicted and are using substances that require needles," said Malone. "The ballfield issue has been around though for a long time, it's not new, and it's very frustrating."
The field sits about a mile from the pallet village.
Malone also said the village aims to help those suffering with addiction, providing counseling services and helping people find jobs and housing.
Anthony Dunlap, who lives at the village, said it can make a difference, but it does depend on the person.
"This is a good place, but you got to come here and want help, you can't just come here and do nothing," said Dunlap.
Dunlap said the village is actively working to find him employment.
"They give you bus passes, I got an interview at Lowes today in Lewes at 3:00," said Dunlap.
Below are some statistics Malone provided:
Service Utilization:
- 3 EMS and 2 Police = 5 calls in 2024
- Zero EMS in month of April
- Zero Overdose Deaths in the village year to date
- Zero Overdose calls to EMS since July of 2023
*Sussex County has seen a recent spike in overdoses, the village reports zero during that time.
Demographics:
- 117 total individuals in the program
- 37 currently residing in the program
- 21 individuals currently in the village are over the age of 50(42%)
- 49% of the individuals residing in the village of the 117 total have been over the age of 50(on track with the state average for the growing population of older adults becoming homeless which is currently at 51%, according to AARP).