'Hurt, Confused, Upset' - Residents of East Wheeling Camp Respond to Looming Eviction

An eviction notice informs residents of East Wheeling hillside they have until October 13 to leave —photo by Nathan Jobalia

For a year now, people experiencing homelessness in Wheeling have been directed by city employees to the East Wheeling hillside to seek shelter. They were shocked on September 29 when those same city employees came, with four police officers, to serve them an eviction notice

Doug, left, a resident of the East Wheeling camp, speaks to Kate Marshall, right, about the looming eviction—photo Nathan Jobalia

Now, instead of working on their health, wellness, or financial situations, dozens of residents are scrambling to figure out what comes next. They have no where to go, and the Winter Freeze shelter doesn’t open until December 15th. Even if they sought out a shelter bed, there are not enough beds for even half the people experiencing homelessness in Wheeling.

Doug and his partner have turned their plot of land into a temporary home after losing their house and falling on hard times—photo Nathan Jobalia

Doug, Natasha, Misty, and Aubrey share their reaction to the eviction and potential urban camping ban. Kate Marshall of the House of Hagar speaks about the burden for service providers trying to support vulnerable people during this time.

Misty, a resident of the East Wheeling camp, holds her head high — photo Nathan Jobalia.

A companion article and transcript of this podcast will be posted at a later date. Due to the urgency of this story, the podcast is being posted now.

To read a companion article for this project, click here.