After hours of public comment in opposition, the Fresno City Council took its first steps on Monday to approve an anti-camping ordinance that will allow the city to clear out homeless encampments.
The council unanimously supported the anti-camping ordinance for introduction in a special meeting that took nearly six hours for the one item.
The backstory: Last month the Supreme Court reversed the ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, allowing local and state governments to fine the homeless for camping and enforce anti-camping ordinances even if there are not enough shelter beds available for the homeless population.
- That meant Fresno could bring back its anti-camping ordinance that the city council initially passed in 2017.
The big picture: The council voted to introduce the ordinance on Monday. It will come back before the council in two weeks for final approval, with enforcement set to begin on Sep. 15.
- Once the ordinance is approved, people would be banned from sitting, laying, sleeping or camping in public places at any time and may be fined $1,000 and placed in jail for up to one year if they refuse to move.
- The city will give violators 24 hours to remove any personal property, which will be retained by the city for 60 days.
- The city says it will offer services and shelter first to the homeless before resorting to fines and arrests.
What they’re saying: Dozens of people spoke in opposition to the ordinance, with many speakers using profanity directed at the council, claiming the city does not help its homeless population and actively hurting the homeless.
- One commenter said the city’s Homeless Assistance Response Team brutalizes the homeless. Another person said the city is killing the homeless.
- Councilman Miguel Arias pushed back against the public, saying while some commenters provided valuable feedback, those who used profanity to attack the council cheapened their arguments.
- “We have provided drug treatment, mental health, social services, free transportation, hygiene products, free meals a day – right now you can go to Poverello and have a better meal than my kids had for lunch, for free, and you can do that multiple times a day without any request,” Arias said. “They have access to transportation, and they transport themselves across the city. We’ve done that year over year.”
- Mayor Jerry Dyer said many people spoke out of a lack of awareness about what the city does for the homeless, while others have been intentionally misled. He acknowledged that some people spoke who have legitimate grievances, but noted that others have personal agendas against the council who routinely attend meetings to attack the council members.
- “We purchased two showers with restrooms. We take them out into our community, and we provide over 200 showers per week to our unsheltered population. We also have a mobile medical clinic in partnership with UCSF, provide free medical treatment, free clothing to those individuals who are out on the streets,” Dyer said. “But the truth is there are a lot of people out there today who are simply defiant. They’re defiant. They refuse to leave when officers ask them to. They are doing things that are intentionally disruptive to business. They defecate on the front sidewalk in front of businesses. They urinate on businesses. They steal copper wire. They set fires, just like they did on a number of trees over at cemeteries on W. Belmont. They break into homes, and start fires and burn down many of our vacant apartments in Fresno.”
