MARCH 8, 2026

While I lie awake in the middle of the night, there is so much going through my head. Questions I need to ask when I meet with people who are still open to meeting with me - and the best way to make a change in our community.

I ask myself why several people have faded away and no longer feel that they want to talk about the issues in town, and how we can help make changes. Are they just too busy all of a sudden, or is it possible they are fearful of the repercussions? I am afraid the latter is more likely the case. What is the reason that so many will sit back and tell me they support what we are doing, yet can't go public?

There were 497 police calls made in 2025 to the homeless hotel located at 61 W King St. Let's let that sit for a moment...

Pottstown has one of the highest tax rates in the state. The poverty level is higher than in any other town in Montgomery County, with a poverty rate of approximately 17.5% to 19.7%. More than double the county-wide average of roughly 6.5%. Meanwhile, across the bridge (where no homeless shelters exist), the median income is $70,000 to $123,000.

So the poorest community is providing the most social services without any resources to actually help those most vulnerable? The cost of 497 police calls to the homeless hotel has got to be tremendous (and I am asking). Calls in 2025 were made for various reasons, including overdoses, assaults, warrants, and more. Why should Pottstown (19464), as the poorest community in Montgomery County, carry this burden alone?

Many of you may have read in the Pottstown Patch that Lansdale has opened a new shelter. It will help 75% of those unhoused in Lansdale. https://shorturl.at/B7fXm 

So let's look at this and put it into some perspective.

Pottstown has 120 beds in the homeless hotel up by Walmart, and many more roam the streets. When the new shelter is built in Pottstown, it will house 45 people who are from Pottstown and are able to pee clean, which raises some of my questions.

• Where will the remaining people go if they shut down the hotel?

• If my calculation is correct, that will leave about 75 people without shelter.

• Of course, it will be warmer, so does our local government even care?

• If they continue to house those in the hotel, will more people find their way to Pottstown?

• If we have 45 in the new shelter and welcome an additional 45 to fill the hotel, what will that mean for our community?

• Does anyone feel our millions in grants and tax dollars should be spent more wisely for the homeless?

• Rumor has it that our local government plans to change zoning to allow more churches to become shelters. This information was recently relayed to me, and is quite concerning, and I will keep my eyes and ears open.

I believe there are better ways to help the homeless, and we should be asking these questions every day!

There are some communities that are helping and doing things that not only help the homeless succeed back in their communities, but also hold them accountable for their actions. These programs are teaching people how to get back into society, even if they start out as addicts.

Although social media is not usually the best source of information, here is a perfect example of what's wrong with the way we are handling our massive homeless situation:

On a social media post, TS says, "Please, just being honest here. I am just wondering who cleans up after the homeless people's trash on Industrial Highway by the river. t's absolutely horrendous the way they have it. It doesn't cost them a penny to toss their trash. They take apart bikes for scrap, leaving the debris all over the ground. Oh, and plastic bottles full of piss. Come on, people, we can do better."

Indeed, we can do better! And yet, we aren't.

The Mayor thinks that because she has "rules" at the homeless hotel, it is a solution. Yet when the rules get broken, where is your solution when you remove the 'problem' from having shelter at the hotel? It's good to have rules. The Borough has a ton of rules, many of which people break, and many of which are not enforced. So what is the point?

The point of having rules is to keep order and to keep others safe. When the rules are broken, and you kick them out of their "safe space" (and I use that term loosely when referring to the hotel), what is the follow-up to this, Ms. Mayor?

The "follow-up" is that the now again homeless seek shelter by breaking into the church next to my home. Then you and Councilwoman Vanni blame the building owner! Despite his repeated efforts to board up the church and our many calls to the police, you deflect the blame! It's so sad how you and the rest of our local government refuse to take the blame for the fire that could have been avoided had there been a REAL SOLUTION in place for the homeless you welcome into our community. Through all of this, we have found numerous issues that the Borough could have prevented. And yet, you chose to turn your head.

Unfortunately, in the homeless community, there are mental health issues that are often ignored. Another thing we do as a whole in today's society. I'm not sure why we continue to make mental illness taboo. I also know the way some mental health facilities were run in the past obviously failed the many who needed their help the most.

We will continue to research better solutions. Sadly, much of the paperwork on programs I had looked into and wanted to learn more about was burned in our house fire. So in between the chaos, I'm doing my homework all over again. Stay tuned as I learn more about successful programs that bring help to those who truly need it and WANT it! The WANT is key to all of these programs. As a community we should all WANT BETTER!

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