Public camping ban adopted in New Phila
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Sept. 24, 2024) – It’s now a crime to camp out on city property.
In an emergency vote on Monday evening, city council unanimously approved a new code section making doing so a misdemeanor offense. Law Director Marvin Fete proposed the addition that he says will help get those who refuse help off the street and into treatment by way of the criminal justice system.
“People think that it’s really bad that you’re in the court system. It’s not necessarily a bad thing that you’re in the court system because it’s the only place you can mandate treatment, and that’s the first goal. It’s to treat and rehab somebody. It’s not to punish.”
Mayor Joel Day expressed his support earlier Monday evening when the Parks and Cemetery Committee met to review the proposal.
“We think it’s a good piece of legislation, and I’m urging council to pass it. You can suspend the rules tonight and pass it tonight. The sooner we put it into effect, I think the better it’s going to be for the community.”
The new section will allow the city to evict a homeless individual who has been camping out in dugout at Waterworks Park. Committee Chairman Mitch Pace considers it a necessary last resort since he has been unwilling to leave voluntarily.
“Myself, the city administration, resource officers worked with that gentleman trying to get him out and he has refused it. We’ve really pushed to try to help him. So we’re not forcing him out but he’s not allowed to live there.”
City officials must post a notice 24 hours before removing any campsite and provide the location to a ‘quote’ local agency delivering social services to homeless individuals. Local homeless shelter officials have said that ‘fining and jailing our fellow citizens who lack financial resources will not increase revenue for the city’ or make it safer.