Pastor urges council to stop criminalizing homelessness, calls for emergency housing and services

Amber Jesslyn, lead pastor of Revival Street Church and an RN, addressed the council during the citizen statements portion of the meeting and described what she called the criminalization of homelessness in Oshkosh.

Jesslyn recounted encounters with people she said regularly sleep downtown and said many have been fined for routine behavior; she described a specific case in which a person facing a $295 fine had to choose between paying the fine or paying for food. She said roughly 30 to 40 people she knows personally are unhoused and that many sleep near the downtown sundial because it is lit and perceived as safer.

Jesslyn urged the council to provide emergency housing options and to avoid enforcement that she said displaces people into less safe locations. She proposed short-term, actionable steps including allowing homeless individuals temporary space in existing shelter facilities, providing mats or overflow capacity at shelter sites, and installing porta-potties near congregation points so people have bathroom access.

Jesslyn said volunteers and churches are providing food and basic outreach but cannot shelter dozens of people in private homes and appealed to the council’s moral obligation to treat people humanely. Her remarks closed with an appeal to civic and religious duty to respond to people in need; she did not request a specific council vote at the meeting.

Councilmembers acknowledged the concerns and staff noted ongoing interagency work, and the city manager and council said Chief Smith will present related information during a future meeting. No formal action was taken during public comment.