A plan to reopen a structured encampment for 28 homeless people west of Lewes narrowly received final approval June 17 from Sussex County Council after two councilmen were not convinced to back it.

Tharros Village, billed as a low-cost, self-governed village for the unsheltered in Lewes, is sponsored by Code Purple at the Cape, a homeless shelter program.

A conditional use for a half-acre of a 7-acre site that formerly housed Delaware State Police Troop 7 along Route 1 passed 3-2, with council members Matt Lloyd and Steve McCarron in opposition.

McCarron and Lloyd said they appreciate the work of Code Purple and the plight of the homeless, but they saw problems with the Tharros Village plan.

McCarron said he has concerns there’s no limit on how long the housing arrangement will be used. At the request of Tharros organizers, the conditional approval does not have an end date.

Lloyd questioned how well Tharros Village’s self-government will work and whether rules will be enforced.

Code Purple at the Cape representatives said there were no problems when the camp operated for three months last fall. The state decided Tharros would need county approval to resume operation this spring.

Council members Jane Gruenebaum, Doug Hudson and John Rieley expressed frustration that the project does not do enough to address the homeless problem in Sussex County, but they said it will have to do for now.

“This is not the ultimate solution to homelessness,” Gruenebaum said. “It is not the perfect solution to the suffering of the homeless, or unhoused, but it is a solution for 20-some people this summer to live in dignity and to have a chance at a better life.”

“We need to address it at the statewide level,” McCarron said.

“We don’t have the perfect solution, but we have a solution,” said homeless shelter volunteer John Dean of Lewes during a public hearing that preceded the vote.

Some people who are homeless have been living in the woods around the site since homeless shelters that operated in the winter closed March 15.

Attorney Alex Burns, representing the applicant, urged council to act during the June 17 meeting to allow work to proceed to reopen Tharros Village to serve the people who are living in the woods. 

A license agreement for use of the site was signed June 10 by J. Brian Maxwell, director of the state’s Office of Management and Budget, and May 29 by the Rev. Brian Lewis, pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Church.

While organizers had hoped to use the site indefinitely, the license agreement expires Nov. 30. It outlines a series of rules for the camp.

Frank Arena, a volunteer serving as director of governance for Tharros Village, said there is consideration of opening a facility in the county similar to the Hope House program in New Castle.

The agreement requires a fire marshal inspection and access to be maintained for fire vehicles. There is no fee for the use of the site, but organizers are responsible for any damage and must clean up the site within seven days after it closes. Fencing must be installed around the campground. Code Purple must have adequate insurance, as the state will not accept any liability for the operation.

The state reserves the right to end the agreement if it is violated, and it requires the site to be cleared within 10 days in such a situation. 

The agreement also notes the arrangement does not affect the state’s continuing efforts to find a long-term use for the property. A study offered options, including continued use by Tharros Village, sale of the land for development, state offices or a permanent homeless shelter. 

Arena said the site will be well maintained, and shower and bathroom facilities will be provided. 

Residents must follow strict rules, and there is a requirement that the residents work, volunteer or participate in an educational program. Alcohol and substance use is not allowed at Tharros Village.

The village is intended as transitional housing as residents work toward permanent housing and employment, Arena said. More than 300 volunteers help with the homeless shelter program, including providing food.

“Our underlying foundation is about treating people with dignity, respect, hope,” Arena said.

After Tharros opens for the season, the state will clear homeless people from the surrounding woods because they are living in unsanitary conditions, he said.

“It’s like a third world country,” Arena said.

Volunteers have been working in recent days to get the Tharros site ready. It is tentatively projected to open by Independence Day, but organizers concede the timeline may be too optimistic.