Mayor Kim Ecklund is continuing her push for state help with the city’s homeless.

Ecklund’s requests to the state go beyond requests for reimbursement for costs the city paid cleaning up homeless encampments throughout the city in 2024. In her most recent letter to Bonnie Lockwood, director of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Western New York regional office, Ecklund is asking for the state’s help on a host of housing and mental health issues that Ecklund says are root causes of the growth in the city’s homelessness over the past few years.

“We strongly advocate for increased investment in Housing First programs, which prioritize stable housing before addressing other challenges like employment and mental health,” Ecklund said in her Jan. 31 letter to Lockwood. “These programs have been proven to improve housing stability while reducing long-term public costs associated with emergency services and health care.”

The city has sent a request to the state for reimbursement of $124,576.67 the city says it spent on cleanup efforts for homeless camps – including removal of hazardous waste, biohazard material and contracted trash removal services – after city crews and heavy equipment were deployed to clear debris, abandoned materials and refuse from public spaces. Ecklund said in the letter there was damage to public infrastructure, including electrical boxes being damaged on Panzarella Bridge, trash bins stolen and set on fire, picnic tables and debris dumped into the Chadakoin River and vandalism to city parks and public spaces.

More recently, Tim Jackson, city police chief and public safety director, told City Council members that city police officers are spending regular time near the Code Blue warming shelter on Washington Street after complaints about issues when employees are coming and going to work. The city has extended its original July 25, 2024, state of emergency for unauthorized encampments five times, most recently on Dec. 13, 2024.

“We respectfully request a prompt response to our reimbursement request and look forward to further discussions on policy solutions to help prevent the escalation of this crisis,” Ecklund wrote.

Ecklund said the city needs the state’s help on solutions to the homeless problem because there have been systemic failures in state housing and homelessness policies. Eklund’s January 31 letter states there are still more than 200 individuals currently homeless in part because the gap between rising rents and low median household incomes in the city are leaving people unable to afford housing. Programs like Section 8 housing subsidies help, Ecklund said, but those programs have limited funding and come with restrictive enrollment criteria that don’t help all those who need help. Ecklund said there is also a statewide moratorium on new Section 8 enrollments that limits access to housing assistance.

At the same time Code Blue shelter funding for emergency housing has remained stuck at $443,000 in Chautauqua County despite rising costs for emergency housing and growing demand. Ecklund said the county needs more resources and greater program flexibility in order to meet the needs of those who have found themselves homeless.

Ecklund also called for “benefit cliff” reform. Too many low-income individuals find themselves ineligible for assistance with slight increases to their incomes, which Ecklund said becoming a problem when low-income city residents try to maintain stable housing.

The mayor also reiterated her calls for more mental health resources in Jamestown. She said mental health providers and social workers often deal with large caseloads, while the city lacks sufficient supportive housing options for those who have mental health disorders.

“The shortage of specialists, underfunding of local programs and lack of integrated care contribute to the cycle of homelessness,” Ecklund wrote. “Many individuals experiencing homelessness also struggle with co-occurring disorders such as substance abuse and untreated mental illnesses. Without adequate resources or supportive housing options, individuals continue to face barriers to stable housing and recovery.”