Police Evict People From Homeless Camp In Downtown Buffalo Park

As the second largest city in New York State, Buffalo often has to deal with many big-city problems. One of the recurring issues that Western New York continues to deal with is homelessness.

Like many large cities across America, a significant percentage of the area's population is housing insecure.

Government Officials Remove Homeless Encampment In Downtown Buffalo

If you spend any time in or around downtown Buffalo, you have seen firsthand how pervasive the homeless problem is in Buffalo.

At any time, you will see dozens of people living on the street, either in local parks, under highway overpasses or finding other places for shelter like building atriums and parking lots. The problem has become so apparent that City officials have removed a homeless encampment from Fireman's Park in downtown Buffalo.

Fireman's Park, located between North Division and South Division streets in the heart of Buffalo's Central Business District, became home to dozens of tents, which housed several homeless people. Reporters from WKBW-TV were on site at the park as folks attempted to determine what their next steps would be after Buffalo Police and other city workers removed their tents and belongings.

Many of the people who were homeless in the park have complained that there are not enough services available to help them. At the same time, city officials have countered that resources are available and people must seek out and accept the assistance.

Buffalo Has A Big Homeless Problem

According to data from the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, the local Continuum of Care provider, there are more than 7,000 households in Western New York that are consistently dealing with homelessness in the region.

The data collected shows that a large percentage of homeless people in the region have mental health disorders, along with substance abuse concerns. However, that is not the only reason why people in Western New York may experience homelessness.

READ MORE: Rental Evictions Still A Problem In Western New York

For all of 2023 and a few months in 2024, Erie County led the state in rental evictions. Couple that with rising rent costs, and many families across Western New York are finding it more difficult to find safe and affordable housing.