
I want to take this opportunity to clarify the situation on 20th Street and make a clear distinction between the camp residents and the dangerous activity caused by external individuals. It is important to understand the context of the issues that arose in September 2024 and why the area was described as dangerous during that time, as well as the concerns raised in January 2025.
In September of last year, 20th Street became a hotspot for external drug dealers who were said to have set up operations in the area. These individuals were alleged to have sold dangerous street drugs, leading to multiple overdoses and an alarming number of ambulance calls to the street.
This was a serious and immediate public safety issue. The statement made in September about 20th Street being dangerous referred specifically to the alleged drug activity and violence attributed to these dealers.
It is important to emphasize that the camp residents were not responsible for these problems; in fact, they were among those most directly harmed by the unsafe conditions created by these outside individuals. After several people raised these concerns at a city council meeting, law enforcement took swift and thorough action to address the problem.
By January, the focus shifted to ensuring that the support provided to camp residents is helpful and well-organized. Donations such as tents and blankets to help residents deal with the elements are fantastic and much-needed efforts that make a meaningful difference.
However, the concern lies with uncoordinated duplicate services already provided by well-established programs like KAIR and Independence Cay. These programs are working effectively to provide critical resources and assistance. When uncoordinated duplicate services are introduced, they can unintentionally cause a situation that is a detriment to the camp residents and create health issues for the camp residents and the neighboring public. Strengthening and supporting these existing efforts is the best way to ensure residents receive the help they need in a safe and sustainable manner.
We must keep in mind that the majority of camp residents are people just looking for a hand out of a tough life situation. It’s important that all of these efforts are coordinated to maximize the benefit to the camp residents, fortify the existing established programs, and focus on just doing the next right thing.
Sincerely,
Lorenzo Chiango
Cudjoe Key