An encampment along the Lehigh River in Lehighton closed this year, spurring the opening of a homeless shelter in Carbon County.

The area known as Tent City, located between Lehighton and Weissport near the Lehigh River on land owned by the county, was cleared. However, some people have since returned.

In spring, the Carbon County Commissioners ordered the closure of Tent City. A man died there in January and the area had been a source of complaints from residents regarding campers burning.

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Department went to the area to move the people out.

Sheriff Dan Zeigler said Monday morning that he was asked by the Carbon County Commissioners to meet with the campers, which he said he did several times.

Zeigler said that the area is county property, and that the people were told they were trespassing. A gate was put up and no trespassing signs were placed throughout the area informing them they were not to be there.

“A lot of people did vacate the area,” Zeigler said.

Zeigler said there were one or two gentlemen who had volunteered to clean the area up, and added that the county supplied them with a dumpster.

He said they found a fugitive was there and went there on Dec. 12, but did not find the fugitive.

Instead, Zeigler said there was one person there and multiple tents had reappeared in the area.

He said they found another encampment that was right behind Dunbars that had about six people and met with them, one of whom had a warrant and was taken to prison.

Zeigler said the exact number of people who are at the main encampment closer to the river is unknown.

There are other people down there that just like that nomad type of lifestyle,” he said. “They just really just don’t like to follow rules and be told (what to do).”

In June, Lehighton Borough Council adopted a camping ordinance and removed criminal sanctions and added civil sanctions as part of an initiative aimed to provide homeless people a choice to get help.

Since then, one emergency shelter has opened.

The idea of a potential second emergency shelter, one that could allow for families with children, was discussed earlier this month.

Nancy Berchtold, officer of St. Vincent de Paul Society of SS. Peter & Paul in Lehighton, said they know of two families with three children and that each family is homeless and has nowhere to go.

Berchtold said at that meeting earlier this month that one of their members mentioned opening another emergency shelter for families with children since they don’t allow children in the Cold Weather Station.

The Lehighton Cold Weather Station opened its doors on Dec. 1 in the basement of the Ebenezer United Methodist Church at the corner of Third and South streets across from the Lehighton Police Station and Lehighton Fire Department.

Berchtold said they had eight homeless people stay over night, three of whom they didn’t serve last year, and that they had about a dozen cots available.

The Lehighton Cold Weather Station is a coalition of churches under the support of St. Vincent de Paul Society of SS. Peter & Paul in Lehighton.

Berchtold said that St. Peter’s Community Resource Center, 177 Main Road, in Lehighton, which housed the homeless population of Lehighton last year, is now using that space for other purposes.

She said Ebenezer Methodist Church is now closed and its small congregation has joined Bethany EC Church and Ben Salem United Church of Christ.

As a result, Berchtold said they have the basement of the Ebenezer United Methodist Church available.

Berchtold said the basement of Ebenezer United Methodist Church is open at 6 p.m. for registration and dinner to the homeless when it’s 25 degrees or lower.

She said folks are allowed to stay until 9 a.m., “but our hope is that with enough volunteers, that we can extend that.”

Berchtold said they provide food, and added they just went mostly by volunteers and folks donating food items, but that they would love to have donations of nighttime meals.

She said an informational meeting will be held Dec. 5 at Bethany Wesleyan Church, 1122 Fairyland Road, Lehighton, while an educational and training session on Dec. 12 was set to be held at another location.

Berchtold said their Facebook page is now Lehighton Cold Weather Station, where there is a sign-up for volunteers, as well as information on food and staying at the shelter.

She said they are seeking more volunteers to chaperon, make meals and donate to offer costs for heating, and are grateful for any assistance that can be provided.

For more information, call 570-657-6738.

Zeigler said it’s no secret there’s a lack of housing for the homeless in the area.

“It’s important to continue to meet and come up with viable solutions for these folks,” he said, adding that he believes the people living down there need to be included as part of the discussion with the group.