Councilmember Luke Waddell reintroduced the ordinance, which bans sleeping, setting up tents and cooking equipment on city-owned property at night, this year, after a vote on it was tabled in 2023.
“What I'm proposing tonight, It's a reasonable, common sense ordinance that says our parks, sidewalks and storefronts should have been safe and accessible for everyone, and that we prioritize public safety in this community,” Waddell said back in August.
After undergoing a few changes, most notably Councilmember David Joyner’s amendments — reducing the penalties from a class three misdemeanor to an infraction, and making it legal for people to sleep in their cars on parking lots - the ordinance became less punitive.
At the last meeting, Councilmember Salette Andrews also added an amendment to remove the word "occupy," saying it would leave the door open for interpretations that threaten people’s constitutional rights
On Tuesday night, the council passed the ordinance with a 4-to-3 vote. Mayor pro Tem Clifford Barnett, and Andrews and council member Kevin Spears dissented, believing this is still not the way to go.
“I believe it to be very disheartening to criminalize homelessness in our community and to not listen to the consensus of the people. I would say I’m very disappointed in a few of you tonight,” Spears said.
The ban on camping and sleeping on city property between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. went into effect immediately.
