Mayor Parker and police are working to clear homeless encampments from the Philly airport

For two weeks in late February and early in March, the city and Philadelphia Police took steps to clear people experiencing homelessness from the Philadelphia Airport, where a growing number have been gathering. The efforts come as Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration and the airport look for an outreach organization to “reduce the presence of homeless individuals” at the airport.

“Every day, it is a priority of the mayor’s to improve the quality of life for people living homeless,” said a city spokesperson via email. “Seeking shelter at the airport does not promote a good quality of life when there are services available to them and we are encouraging them to accept the services and shelter.”

Since the pandemic, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased at PHL, putting a strain on the airport facilities, particularly the restrooms in the non-secured side of the airport which includes baggage claim and arrivals areas, according to the city spokesperson. Other airports around the country are experiencing a similar uptick in vulnerable people seeking refuge at their facilities.

An “encampment clearing initiative” at PHL went into effect on Feb. 24 and ended on March 10 in order to remove people who don’t have “official business” with the airport and appear to be living there, according to the city spokesperson. The Philadelphia Police Department was deployed and the Office of Homeless Services provided emergency shelter to those who were displaced. A tally of how many people were removed was not available at the time of publication. Police did not make any arrests but did issue 14 code violations, according to the city spokesperson.

On Tues., March 5, SELF Inc., an organization that provides emergency housing dispatched at least two vans to PHL to provide emergency housing to anyone who was willing to be placed, a spokesperson for the group said.

Two people experiencing homelessness were removed from the airport and taken to the police district on March 6, according to Jasmine Reilly, a Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson.

The police efforts come as the city has issued a request for proposals (RFP) “to develop a program to create a safer environment and improved guest experience” at PHL.

The RFP states the goals include discouraging people who are homeless from staying at the airport by connecting them with resources, educating PHL employees on how to engage with this vulnerable population, and maintaining a safe environment for PHL employees and travelers.

“Reducing the presence of unsheltered individuals at PHL will make for a more pleasant airport experience for all. It is our hope that these individuals will receive the true assistance that they need,” reads the RFP.

The number of people who are homeless at the airport has grown in the last three years, according to the RFP, which notes that the airport counts people who appear to be experiencing homelessness on its grounds three times a day. On average, in January 2023, there were 43 people experiencing homelessness per count, but on Jan. 27, a total of 75 people were accounted for during the third count of the day.

Proposals are being received through April 2 and the work is intended to begin on July 1.

Self Inc. and Project HOME, two of the city’s leading homeless advocacy organizations, declined to comment on the RFP via spokespeople.

Parker’s proposed five-year financial and strategic plan, released last week, notes that the Philadelphia Police Department, through its Airport Unit, aims to reduce the amount of people experiencing homelessness at the airport.

The Police Department has found people experiencing homelessness near baggage claim or the garage stairway areas, the plan notes. The department is already trying to connect this group of people at the airport with resources and outreach services, and intends to ramp up activity there as part of initiatives that could be carried out in the next four to five years, the proposal notes.

“The Airport Unit plans to increase their resources and options for services for the unsheltered by working with City Officials and the Department of Aviation on plans to address the homeless issue on airport grounds,” reads the proposal.

The mayor’s proposed budget also includes $33 million in new spending on public safety efforts, and $36 million in funding for housing programs this year, The Inquirer reported. The budget includes $16 million in added funding for the city’s Office of Homeless Services which overspent it’s budget by almost $15 million in the last four years.

During the early days of the pandemic, as shelters took in fewer people in Philadelphia in order to create safer conditions, some people experiencing homelessness migrated to the airport, The Inquirer reported in 2020.

Since the pandemic, the number of people experiencing homelessness at PHL has increased, according to the city spokesperson.

“Since the airport is a public facility providing bathrooms, water, Wi-Fi, and access to transportation, individuals arrive at PHL who may have nowhere else to go,” reads the RFP.

PHL is among other airports in the country that have also seen an increase in “unsheltered” people, according to the city spokesperson.

In February 2023, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city was taking steps to remove people experiencing homeless from the airports, according to the Chicago Tribune. Last month, Atlanta City Council voted on a measure that restricts access of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport by only allowing in those who are picking up or dropping off someone and travelers, according to Fox5 Atlanta.

Overall, Philadelphia has seen a decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness, The Inquirer reporter earlier this year. In 2018, there were over 1,000 individuals in this population which decreased to about 800 in 2023.