In recent news, Lancaster County Mayor R. Rex Parris faced intense backlash after suggesting a weird approach to combat homelessness in the area. He talked about giving people “all the fentanyl they want.” He made the shocking remark in the February 25 council meeting in response to residents planning to relocate homeless folks to an empty golf course in the area.
“What I want to do is give them free fentanyl,” Parris said, interrupting the resident. “I mean, that’s what I want to do. I want to give them all the fentanyl they want.” Fentanyl is a highly addictive opioid that is responsible for several deaths across America.
View this post on Instagram
Hence, the suggestion of using a fatal drug to tackle a major issue like homelessness in the city, that too by a mayor, seems very concerning. This is not the first time the mayor has been adamant about a major issue; earlier, he also made headlines in 2018 for wanting to ban neckties from the workplace.
As per The New York Times, following the meeting, Parris tried to justify his comments by asserting that he talked about the criminal aspect of the issue, as a considerable portion of the homeless population consists of individuals with criminal records who refuse help. These people reportedly indulge in heinous crimes across the city, including robbery, murder, abuse, etc.
While Mayor Rex Parris has failed to back up his public claims with evidence or data, he received criticism from former mayoral candidate Johnathon Ervin. He condemned Parris’s remarks and claimed that he was unfit to serve in the office. Furthermore, Parris also said that he didn’t think anyone would take his comments “literally” and added that fentanyl is “so easy” to get that it would not matter if the city gave it away for free.
“Anyone willing to give homeless people all the fentanyl they want or to suggest that President Trump should allow a purge of the homeless population has no business in public office,” Ervin told the Los Angeles Times in a chat. Moreover, a recall campaign has since been launched, but it has only received 6% of the 20,000 desired signatures. Consequently, Parri’s term ends in April 2028.
View this post on Instagram
Meanwhile, in a follow-up interview after the backlash, Parris urged the Trump administration to “federal purge” of the homeless population. He defended the idea as a crucial step to save Lancaster residents, claiming the situation had become “untenable” and required drastic solutions. Parris wants homeless people out of Southern California in the future.
As per One United Lancaster, nearly 600 people were homeless in Lancaster County on the night of January 24, according to the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count. Moreover, the count recorded 597 individuals—122 unsheltered and 475 in emergency shelters or transitional housing. This data marks a 13.5% increase from last year and the highest total since 2010.
Driving factors for this homelessness include a fluctuating housing market, low vacancy rates, and skyrocketing rents. Nearly half of Lancaster renters are cost-burdened, and 24% spend more than half their income on rent and other utilities.
Mayor Danene Sorace claimed that homelessness is not only a serious issue in the USA, but it has become a worldwide issue. She termed the phenomenon a ‘full-blown crisis.’
