Lehigh Valley advocates pitch pallet homes to help end area homelessness

“We’re not replacing permanent housing. We’re really trying to provide people a safe and dignified pathway to that end goal of obviously getting everyone into permanent housing,” Simons said.

05/18/2021

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. -- Area advocates are aiming to end unsheltered housing in the Lehigh Valley.

“Each one gets set up in about 45 minutes and we can fit 30 of them on a truck,” said Ben Simons, of Pallet Shelter.

They’re called pallet houses.

On Saturday, about two dozen people came out to Allentown get their first look at this prototype.

“We’re not replacing permanent housing. We’re really trying to provide people a safe and dignified pathway to that end goal of obviously getting everyone into permanent housing,” Simons said.

Simons’ company has about 30 communities of pallet houses on the West Coast.

Now, he and his team members are looking to bring them to other areas in need, like the Lehigh Valley.

“We have shelter communities in parking lots, sports fields, vacant lots awaiting development, etc,” Simons said.

Experts say homelessness is a big problem in the Lehigh Valley.

Last year, service providers saw a 50% increase in requests for services; they claim there isn’t enough housing and believe this would fix that issue.

“This kind of answers the question, like how can we get people into something, anything, other than what they’re living in now. Get them into a better environment,” said Jennifer Miklus, of Operation Address the Homeless.

While some are concerned a pallet community would attract people from outside the area, proponents say they intend to help city residents first.

“We are going to make it a requirement that they are, right now, residing here. That doesn’t mean, however, someone who comes from maybe Bethlehem or something like that, if we have the room we aren’t going to deny them,” Miklus said.

Allentown Mayor Ray O’Connell stopped by Saturday’s pallet demonstration, but says he hasn’t made up his mind on whether he thinks a pallet community is the right fit for the city.

“I have questions about it, but no. That’s why I’m here. I think knowledge is good. You have to have to have the knowledge before you make a decision one way or the other,” O’Connell said.

Organizers with Operation Address the Homeless tell us they have about 500 signatures of support from members of the community but don’t have any funding at the moment.

Credit: Brian Sheehan Mar 21, 2021 Updated Apr 8, 2021 www.wfmz.com