Gaithersburg Seeks Solutions to Recurring Encampments
A half mile from the Lake Forest Mall site, Montgomery Village Avenue becomes Quince Orchard Road at the I-270 overpass in Gaithersburg, Md. It is Maryland Route 124, and homeless encampments have existed in its two highway entrance traffic loops for years. In the winter months, drivers might catch flashes of blue tarps behind the thickets. From early spring through fall, the spaces are invisible from all vantage points, accessible only from windy paths that start under the bowels of the overpass bridges.
When Montgomery Fix first documented the sites in February as part of our Hidden Spaces series, the northbound loop encampment consisted of a few substantial structures facing a central open space, a couple smaller dwelling areas, and large trash fields. The southbound loop had significantly more garbage, a structure partly built from shipping pallets, and two makeshift blanket-and-tarp tents.
Route 124 Entrance Loop to Northbound I-270, February 2026 (Photos: Montgomery Fix)
Two months later, in April, SHA bulldozed and cleared the northbound loop encampment and garbage fields. Their crews returned in late May for the southbound loop, which had grown to include a larger built structure (with materials partially relocated from the northbound loop camp), a group of feral cats, and fields of rotting garbage swarming with flies.
In the aftermath, SHA crews left circular fields of mud surrounded by rings of dense vegetation, with only crudely cut service entrances exposing their work.
We monitored the sites over the nearly five-month span, reporting our findings to the City of Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, and the State Highway Administration, and we tracked how government agencies responded. This investigative report chronicles how municipal, county, and state authorities managed the complex challenge in the face of overlapping jurisdictions, divergent operational mandates and policies, and occasional gaps in interagency communication.
Policy Divergence: State Maintenance vs. County Permissiveness
Montgomery County approaches unsheltered homelessness through its Services to End and Prevent Homelessness (SEPH) division, operating under a coordinated "Continuum of Care" and a strict housing-first model. The number one priority is immediate access to stable, permanent shelter. The county employs a trauma-informed care approach, deploying street outreach partners to build long-term relationships. The goal of this patient, relationship-driven strategy is to engage homeless individuals and build trust. There is no prescribed timeline to compel individuals to relocate or accept services if they are legally in a public space, nor are they held accountable for minor infractions such as substance use, urinating, or consensual sex. Consequently, sometimes encampments linger in public spaces for months or years at a stretch.
In contrast, the State Highway Administration operates under a strict safety and maintenance-focused mandate. As SHA Spokesperson Charlie Gischlar told us, "State property that is in proximity to interchanges and other state-maintained roads is required to be maintained to ensure safety of the traveling public. This includes tree work, trimming, mowing and litter/debris removal. Performing this maintenance work could pose a direct hazard to those who live on the encampments. When there are potential safety risks, we must proceed with a notice to vacate." SHA nails laminated no trespass placards on trees through encampments, announcing 30-day or 60-day deadlines. SHA says clearance activities are conducted in coordination with law enforcement agencies and outreach organizations.
Gaithersburg: Caught Between County Policies and State Mandates
The operational consequences of these divergent policies played out in real-time between February and June 2026. Our first report to government officials received a quick response from Lee Jansky, the Acting Division Manager for Gaithersburg Homeless Services. On February 28, Jansky confirmed that the city was aware of the encampments and clarified the jurisdictional boundaries. "The property is located within the City of Gaithersburg, but the property has been identified as being owned by the State of Maryland, SHA specifically." Jansky outlined a compassionate outreach strategy consistent with that of the county, stating that the city's Homeless Outreach team had "made a previous attempt to enter, make connections, and offer support and resources for those who are residing within the encampments." Jansky added, “Too often, people refuse services of any kind. However, providing our unhoused residents with some basic needs does help with establishing relationships that, often, leads to building trust and ultimately a willingness to accept our offers of support and assistance.” Jansky said that the city would be coordinating a response, “that will include SHA, GPD, Homeless Services, and our service provider partners to address the conditions and offer the support and resources needed for these unhoused individuals.”
On March 30, 2026, Courtney Davis, Director of Communication and Public Engagement for Gaithersburg, reported that since Jansky's email a month ago, the city had visited twice with partner agencies but found "no one was at the site" on both occasions. "If we continue to find no one at the site, then the next steps would be for the State Highway Administration to clean the site. If we do find people at the site, then we will work with SHA and the Gaithersburg Police Department to ensure they're off the property, and Homeless Services will connect them with appropriate services."
Northbound Loop Clearance
Just one week later, on April 7, SHA conducted a massive clearing operation in the northbound loop. Witnesses reported seeing a backhoe in the wooded area removing material, a large truck being loaded, multiple work crews on site, as well as vehicles from MDOT and unmarked police units. We reached out to Davis, who distanced the city from the operation. "This is an SHA property and not something that was coordinated with the City. Please reach out to SHA for information on when the decision was made. We cannot confirm what agencies were involved, since this is an SHA site... The site is SHA property. Thus, the City was not involved."
SHA Spokesperson Charlie Gischlar, however, said that the state’s unilateral action on April 7 was directly informed by communication from municipal police. "SHA received information from the Gaithersburg Police Department that the two encampment locations are on SHA property. One was previously cleared, but the structures remained and the occupants moved back to the location. The second location was confirmed as appearing to be vacant per the information from the police department." Davis confirmed, "the two times Homeless Services went to the first encampment site, it was indeed vacant."
It is common for homeless individuals to leave their camps during daylight hours. A few have jobs, many panhandle, and others seek substances, resources, meals or social services. Montgomery Fix has visited more than two dozen Montgomery County encampments this year during daytime hours. Most of the time, occupants are elsewhere.
Southbound Loop Clearance
With the northbound loop cleared on April 7, the focus of the interagency response shifted to the southbound entrance ramp from Route 124 to I-270. By then, portions of the structure and some of the possessions from the northbound encampment had already been relocated, making it an even larger, active site.
On April 10, 2026, Danny Allman, an SHA Spokesperson, addressed the status of this second site. "The first was cleared up due to no activity. The second one was deemed still active. There is a process for situations such as this. The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) will issue a 60-day notice to vacate the premises before removal of any possessions or animals."
Allman added that local police and advocacy groups, including "the City of Gaithersburg Homeless Services and Neighborhood Services, as well as Montgomery County resources, such as Every Mind and Tree of Hope, will assist those that lived in the encampment." He concluded that the SHA would return to clear the second site "tentatively, within 60 days from today." Instead of 60 days, however, SHA posted a 30-day notice to vacate on April 21, 2026, for the southbound side.
On the morning of May 27, Montgomery Fix visited the southbound loop encampment. The site appeared active, containing multiple large structures and signs of ongoing habitation. One individual was seen exiting the encampment path to the underpass, and a cat near one of the structures disappeared into the bushes when we approached.
Route 124 Entrance Loop to Southbound I-270, May 27, 2026, a few hours before site was cleared (Photo: Montgomery Fix)
Just a few hours after our visit, SHA crews entered the site and completely cleared the structures and debris, leaving a circular field of mud surrounded by a ring of dense vegetation. On May 29, Davis provided the city's official account of the second clearing. "The State Highway Administration started the removal of the remaining camp on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Gaithersburg Police Department Patrol, two representatives from Homeless Services, and a representative from Animal Services were also on site. There were no individuals or cats present."
Feral kittens at the Southbound loop, April 8, 2026, six weeks before the area was cleared. One self-surrendered to Montgomery Fix and was rescued. Animal welfare organizations searched for the rest. (Photo: Montgomery Fix)
Davis added that between the posting of the notice on April 21 and the cleanup on May 27, Gaithersburg Animal Services had visited the site to look for kittens, but "no kittens (or any other animals) or people were on scene." Yet, Davis also noted that during this same period, GPD and Homeless Services visited the site, and "Homeless Services was able to connect with an individual during that visit and provide them with appropriate resources."
On June 1, 2026, Gischlar provided the SHA’s perspective on the May 27 cleanup. "The Gaithersburg Police Department, the City of Gaithersburg’s Homeless Services and neighborhood services EveryMind and Tree of Hope were engaged for the homeless individuals and the Humane Society for the feral cats." Maryland State Highway Administration crews then came to the encampment area and removed structures, waste materials and debris.
The contrasting accounts of occupancy at the Route 124 loops highlight a persistent challenge in encampment management. Blankets, tents, and other items seen on the northbound encampment just before its clearing had made their way to the southbound loop. Aware of the impending clearing, some inhabitants simply moved across the street. While the city and state reported the site was vacant during the cleanup, our observations just hours earlier confirm that at least one individual and a cat were there. The discrepancy isn’t surprising given the transient nature of the homeless individuals. Noise from work crews would have scared any animals away.
There are several homeless people living in the abundant hidden spaces along Route 124 near I-270 and the railroad tracks. A freshly cleared space surrounded by a ring of dense vegetation, which is what SHA left behind on both loops, doesn’t remain vacant for long. Indeed, by early June possessions began appearing on the northbound loop. We visited on June 17 and found it already reoccupied. A newly posted MDOT trespass warning notice, dated June 15, 2026, was nailed to a nearby tree, demanding vacancy within 30 days. City representatives told us they were aware.
The rapid return of homeless individuals highlights the limitations of transient, unscheduled cleanings that bulldoze structures, scoop up trash, and ignore further maintenance. On both loops, removal of remaining dense undergrowth shielding the cleared areas from public view would cause homeless individuals to make camp elsewhere. Gaithersburg recognizes this opportunity and has advocated for SHA to help fully reclaim these spaces.
Gaithersburg Seizes Opportunity for a More Balanced Municipal Approach
The ongoing challenges at the I-270 and Route 124 interchange have prompted a broader policy discussion within the Gaithersburg municipal government. Encampments in this area have existed for many years. One year ago, a fire occurred in an encampment located between the railroad tracks and the Montgomery County Police Impound Lot, requiring a response from the Gaithersburg Police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. Had that fire spread further, it could have threatened vehicles in the impound lot and disrupted railroad operations on the adjacent CSX tracks.
The Route 124 corridor attracts a significant homeless population, in part because of the concentration of unhoused individuals placed through county programs at the nearby Motel 6 and in part because of its abundance of hidden spaces. In this section of Gaithersburg, access to the railroad right-of-way is remarkably easy. The tracks between Motel 6 and the park-and-ride lot have no barrier or fencing. Well-worn footpaths demonstrate that people regularly cross the tracks as a shortcut. Some of the footpaths lead into the thickets toward camps, including the one that caught fire last year near the impound lot. It still exists.
In a June 16, 2026, email exchange Davis reiterated Gaithersburg’s "priority is to ensure impacted individuals are offered appropriate resources through continued outreach.” At the same time, she signaled that the city would like to hold onto gains made on state-owned land within its limits. "We do recognize the recent clearing of these locations presents a unique opportunity to work collaboratively with our partners to ensure that these areas do not become inhabited again. Preventing the reestablishment of encampments not only protects public safety but also supports more stable, service-connected outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness. We are currently working with the State Highway Administration to understand their plans to secure these locations and implement measures that would reduce the likelihood of individuals returning to set up encampments in these spaces."
In a June 8, 2026, letter from Gaithersburg Assistant City Manager Tom Lonergan-Seeger to SHA Assistant Resident Maintenance Engineer Charles (CJ) Hynson, he began, "I am writing to express our sincere appreciation for the recent work undertaken by SHA crews to clear the encampments located within the cloverleafs at Interstate 270 and Quince Orchard Road. Your team's efforts have made a noticeable and positive difference. The areas now look significantly cleaner, and we are grateful for the attention and care that went into restoring these sites.” Recognizing that holding onto the gains requires more maintenance work, Lonergan-Seeger asked SHA for information “regarding next steps” and asked “are there plans to secure these locations, remove additional underbrush or overgrown vegetation, or implement other preventative measures that would reduce the likelihood of individuals returning to set up encampments in these spaces?”
Our June 7, 2026, article Where Policy Falters: MoCo's Encampment Problem demonstrated the practical consequences of the county policy allowing encampments to languish on county-owned public land, from bus shelters to bushes, for months or years at a stretch. We called this passive approach institutional abandonment disguised as autonomy. It leaves vulnerable individuals to live in unsafe conditions indefinitely, while communities feel unsafe and unheard.
By recognizing the gains made possible by SHA’s mandate and deadline-centered policy and further advocating for the full removal of underbrush and the installation of security measures, Gaithersburg adds priority to sustained public safety and neighborhood preservation. The approach balances compassion and extensive outreach with physical site security to prevent the reestablishment of unsafe encampments. It serves both Gaithersburg’s most vulnerable citizens and the neighborhoods where they find hidden spaces.
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Publisher’s Note: Montgomery Fix would like to thank the Maryland State Highway Administration, Gaithersburg Police Department, and City of Gaithersburg government for their transparency and cooperation. We will continue monitoring conditions along Route 124 and will report on any major developments.
