Buckhannon residents address homelessness, safety concerns at city council

BUCKHANNON, W.Va (WDTV) - Buckhannon residents are expressing concerns about homelessness and safety.

Several people voiced concerns during this week’s city council meeting.

They say they don’t feel safe in some parts of the city anymore. Some said this is because of a growing homeless problem.

They talked about people sleeping in front of apartment buildings and seeing drug paraphernalia around town.

One resident said she wants the council to create a task force to tackle this issue.

Buckhannon Police Chief Matt Gregory addressed the concerns, saying homelessness is a complex and societal issue.

Gregory also said the police are bound by the law, and sleeping outside isn’t illegal.

Buckhannon is already taking steps to address homelessness in the county, most recently by attempting to count the number of homeless people.

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