November 3rd, 2022 by WCBC Radio

The growing homelessness and vagrancy problem in Cumberland is becoming a regular topic of discussion during City Council meetings with a number of citizens raising concern. The pedestrian underpass that crosses beneath Queen City Drive and the CSX railroad tracks; Canal Place and George Washington’s Cabin are popular gathering places.   Karen Lockhart, a woman who says that she has been a resident for less than two years, has appeared before city officials on a number of occaisions seeking answers. Lockhart said she  isn’t interested in seeing people arrested or forced out of town- but rather would like to see a common gathering area developed that provides some shelter made available to them. While the Union Rescue Mission is an option, she says many of those people, for various reasons, aren’t interested in that program…

Mayor Ray Morriss said the city has been having regular discussions on the vagrancy issue, working to develop some possible solutions…