For the most part, those camps are concentrated around downtown.
If theyâre occupied, employees remove items like food and camping supplies and ask any lingering inhabitants to leave. At the same time, city crews are out every morning removing homeless people from spots in the downtown area, including places like the Pavilion at Founders Park and from under canopies at the Downtown Square.
The Pavilion at Founders in downtown Johnson City
With downtown Johnson City experiencing a resurgence in commercial activity, Public Works Director Phil Pindzola said the city does not want it to be convenient for homeless people to use services downtown, a desire that conflicts with the organizations in the downtown area that currently provide items like food and clothing to that vulnerable population.
While the subject of a community roundtable meeting Thursday was tagged as “downtown safety,” it was clear from the first comments what the true issue was going to be: Homeless
A Jonesborough woman was arraigned Wednesday on a custodial interference charge after allegedly removing her grandson from her former son-in-law’s home without permission.
An open air market on King Street will highlight the cultural diversity of Johnson City with food, art and more.
King Mercado, at 111 E. King St., will have 15 spaces for vendors and four to five food trucks. Two of the food trucks will be staples that will remain in the market, while the vendors and three of the food trucks will rotate in and out. There will also be outdoor seating and a place for dogs to hang out.
The market, which will sit on the roof of a warehouse building across from Good Samaritan Ministries, will hold a soft opening on June 3-5. The grand opening will occur the following week. The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Some vendors may be there for the full day, but others may swap out as the day goes on.