Threats of citations and court orders from park rangers has led community members around Madison to shield local unhoused from potential harm.
A group of typically three to six homeless individuals frequently staying under the Yahara Place Park-East Washington Avenue bridge have been intimidated on multiple occasions by park rangers pushing them to leave the area. The group reports three different times park rangers, usually in sets of two, have come to try and persuade people there to move elsewhere. The most recent instance reported was Sept. 10 at around 12:30 pm.
Two unhoused people who typically sleep there told Madison 365 that two people who identified themselves as Wisconsin DNR park rangers told those who were staying there they needed to leave by 10 p.m. — when the park closes — or they’d be cited and courts would become involved.
A DNR spokesperson told Madison365 that their rangers would not have been involved in such an enforcement action in a city or county park, and said the officials would have been from the Dane County Land and Water Resource Development (LWRD). An LWRD representative told Madison365 that the officials weren’t from the county, and were probably from the City of Madison Parks Department.
Madison Parks Superintendent Terrence Thompson wrote in an email that City of Madison Park Rangers are “trained to clearly identify themselves as Park Rangers. The Rangers drive white Chevrolet Silverado Lightnings that are prominently marked with numerous City of Madison and Park Ranger decals on the front, rear, and both doors of the vehicle. They also carry personal identification badges, which they are required to show upon request.”
He said city park ranters “engage with individuals found camping on park property to inform them of the rules and the consequences. Additionally, they connect these individuals with outreach professionals who can provide the necessary resources.” He did not say whether the two people who made contact with the unhoused people in the park on September 10 were city of Madison parks rangers.
Around 20 members of the community came out that night in support of the group that stays under the bridge to bring attention to the frequent pressure from people identifying themselves as park rangers.
“It seems like the carceral stance towards homelessness is escalating in Madison, which is probably a result of homelessness going up in Madison,” said David Rivera-Kohr, a representative of Madison Tenant Power. “It’s more of a visible issue and I think people might be complaining more about the rise in homelessness.”
The applicable ordinance listed is Madison General Ordinance 8.265 for lodging in parks. Violating the ordinance could garner fines of up to $200 per day.
Adam and Jerome, two homeless residents who typically stay under the bridge, just want to be left alone.
The two insist that they aren’t in the way. A bike path does run through the area, but they hug the wall in the gap between the tunnel and the grass that doesn’t impede cyclists or touch the path. The area is kept clean and their possessions are also not in the way of the bike path. Adam is known to frequently sweep the bike bath and ceiling in the tunnel to keep it pristine for all.
His space consists of a small red wagon, two chairs and a table with a “free” sign he made of branches that he uses to give knick-knacks and free water bottles for people walking or biking along the trail.
“I never impede traffic. I mean, this is as far as I ever go out,” Adam said, pointing to the edge of the bike trail. “My bed doesn’t even stick that far out… and they’re trying to tell me about that. And I laughed. I’m like ‘No, I think I’m good. That grass sticks out that far. The bikes come around.’”
Jerome keeps it lighter than Adam. He hugs the grassy area against the wall of the bridge near the entrance on East Washington Avenue. He practically disappears in the night among the shrubbery just to sleep. He is pretty mobile throughout the day and frequently bikes around the city.
The two don’t see homeless shelters as viable places to stay frequently. Jerome recalls becoming sick almost immediately any time he would stay in places like The Beacon, 615 E. Washington Ave. He also sees frequent issues with theft in homeless shelters with not much enforcement by those managing them.
Mutual protection from the community
Community members wanted to be around in case threats from park rangers materialized to some type of police raid. While it did not end up happening either Sept. 10 or the following day, they still pressed to make sure everyone under the bridge remained safe.
Around 20 people gathered at 9:30 p.m. to make sure people like Adam and Jerome remained untouched park rangers. Everyone was lively with laughs filling the area as cyclists seemed puzzled as to why there were so many people there at the hour.
“A lot of these folk feel abandoned in a lot of ways,” Rivera-Kohr said. I think it’s good for them. It’s a reminder that people care about them.”
Rivera-Kohr said it’s important to shine a light on how the city is treating its homeless and to show that there are people who will show up for them.
“These are people’s lives we’re talking about. People talk about a lack of funding, but keeping people alive? What are we doing with our money if we’re not keeping people alive? That should be the top priority,” he said.
He’s been very critical in how Madison is addressing its housing crisis. He sees Madison’s actions towards its homeless as treating them as the problem, rather than slow development of affordable housing and a state-level ban on rent control policy.
“They’re trying to make people who slip through the cracks disappear with no plan to deal with them in a humane way,” Rivera-Kohr said. “Whoever’s been doing this, they’ve been trying to do it on the down low. They’ve been secretive about it and they don’t want people finding out. If there’s people and witnesses, I think that is one way to physically prevent things like this from happening.”
The crowd started to disperse around 10:30 p.m. as many promised to come check in on the unhoused people early in the morning and throughout the day Thursday. No further enforcement action has taken place as of 8:00 am Friday.
This story has been updated to reflect the uncertainty as to which agency the officials threatening Adam and Jerome represented, and to include comment from Madison Parks Superintendent Terrance Thompson.
