06/06/2026
On June 15, overnight camping at Christina Park will end. However, that does not end the City’s commitment to our unhoused population.
The plan is clear and already underway. We have provided updates on the Christina Park plan. No one has to sleep in the park, and no one currently in Christina Park has to remain outside if they are willing to follow simple program guidelines or organizational rules.
The City has worked with Wilmington Housing Authority to fund emergency housing stays for the individuals at Christina Park, and they have identified 20 beds in housing programs that include wrap-around services. In addition, WHA has agreed to cover the cost of emergency hotel and motel stays for anyone at Christina Park and provide case management support to help people receive the treatment they need. The City has also agreed to use unspent funds from the Christina Park initiative to support hotel and motel stays if necessary.
We have explained these available options to the City Council, yet they continue to push rhetoric that the people at Christina Park do not have a place to go after June 15. That is simply untrue. By working collaboratively with our community partners, we have already successfully placed 32 people, and we are actively executing our plan to place even more. All these things are being accomplished while staying within the City’s financial means.
We want to thank WHA, Friendship House, and our hotel/motel partners for making beds available for this population and for providing the case management support they need for long-term stability.
