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As temperatures begin to drop, unhoused residents in Lansing are asking the city to work with them on a way to stay warm.
Open flames and propane are prohibited in an encampment of unhoused community members in Old Town under a court order issued by Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.
Housing advocate Michael Gorishek asked the city and judge to allow an alternative heat source, like kerosene heaters or electric heaters hooked up to generators, with regular safety check-ins from the fire department.
“The alternative, with no heat sources, isn’t realistic. People will try to keep warm one way or another,” Gorishek said. “I want to make sure I’m clear: This is when the most serious danger happens, when people with scarce resources are forced to improvise.”
Mayor Andy Schor activated the city’s “Code Blue” extreme cold weather plan Sunday night through Tuesday morning, enabling local shelters to operate additional hours and temporarily increase capacity when possible.
But unhoused community members who spoke at a Lansing City Council meeting Monday night said even with the plan active, they faced shelters already at capacity.
Advocates say encampment residents insulating their tents with donated items have faced accusations of building new structures, which is also prohibited under the court order.
In September, Aquilina toured the encampment and ordered it be dismantled within 60 days, by Nov. 14. But she said the city would have to find temporary shelter for the encampment residents and provide portable restrooms in the meantime.
City officials said last month that 37 people connected to the encampment have started receiving assistance from the city or partner organizations to be relocated.
Encampment residents who spoke at the City Council meeting Monday night say the city has now signed up more than 40 people to seek access to shelters, but said only one person has made it off the waitlist so far.
A weekly hearing in the court case will be held Wednesday afternoon.
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