Lawrence orders homeless camp removal

House of Mercy in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is removing a temporary tent camp for people experiencing homelessness. The organization began dismantling the structure on Wednesday after the city issued an order to clear the site.

Roger Farah, the founder of House of Mercy, stated that the group has operated in Lawrence since 2018. The organization provides food, clothing, and other services to residents without permanent housing. Just over a week before the removal order, the group installed tents on land owned by a religious organization.

The city notified the group of four specific violations. Farah said the organization has been fined $1,200 each day since Friday. He questioned the validity of the cited infractions but agreed to remove the tents temporarily to avoid further costs.

Brian DePeña, the mayor of Lawrence, issued a statement regarding the decision. He noted that humanitarian intent does not exempt any organization or individual from meeting construction, fire prevention, health, sanitation, zoning, and public safety requirements.

Farah plans to hire an attorney to challenge the order legally. He said the group will fight the case to determine its legal standing. "We are going to dismantle it, even though we do not want to, we will do it temporarily to see.. we hired a lawyer. Now we want to fight it legally," Farah said.

A woman experiencing homelessness expressed concern about the relocation. "Where are we going to go. They keep moving us around as if we are.. if we are trash, as if we are nothing," she told Farah. The group intends to continue serving the community while the legal process unfolds.