Philadelphia Delays Unhoused Encampment Eviction as CDC Says “Let Them Remain” & Stop COVID Spread

As the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention says unhoused people living in encampments should be allowed to remain where they are to help stop the spread of COVID-19, Democracy Now! goes to Philadelphia, where the mayor has postponed the eviction of an encampment planned for this morning.

“The Philadelphia Housing Authority has about 5,000 vacant properties,” notes Sterling Johnson, an organizer with Black and Brown Workers Cooperative, who joins us from the camp.

“We want to use them to create a community land trust. What they want to do is auction them off to private developers.”

The move comes as many cities have continued to criminalize their unhoused communities despite the recommendations of public health officials.

Democracy Now! produces a daily, global, independent news hour hosted by award-winning journalists Amy Goodman and Juan González.

Our reporting includes breaking daily news headlines and in-depth interviews with people on the front lines of the world’s most pressing issues.

On DN!, you’ll hear a diversity of voices speaking for themselves, providing a unique and sometimes provocative perspective on global events.

Missed an episode? Check out DN on FSTV VOD anytime or visit the show page for the latest clips.

#FreeSpeechTV is one of the last standing national, independent news networks committed to advancing progressive social change.

#FSTV is available on Dish, DirectTV , AppleTV, Roku, Sling, and online at freespeech.org.