The deadline for residents of Harrisburg's "Tent City" to vacate has been extended to the end of the month. Originally, the residents were to leave by Friday (August 15) to make way for the PennDOT I-83 expansion project. The encampment, located near the PennDOT building, houses about 75 people.
Some residents, like James, have expressed their determination to stay, even if it means facing arrest. "You're not going to take that spot. We got freedom, right? And we're not going to lose our freedom for nothing," he told PennLive.
Efforts to relocate the residents to a new site called the "Miracle Community" have been met with mixed reactions. The new location, a gravel parking lot, has been criticized for its lack of shade and strict rules. However, some residents, like Ashley, who is seven months pregnant, appreciate the cleanliness and calmness of the new site but are concerned about the heat. "I'm not feeling that great," she said, citing the lack of shade as a significant issue.
The new encampment is managed by the Harrisburg nonprofit Amiracle4sure. The relocation is part of a larger effort to clear the area for the I-83 widening project, which will begin construction in 2026. According to Fox43, preliminary work, including fencing the current encampment, will start this fall.