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Public commenters urge housing solutions after Morgantown vote preserved camping ordinance
Summary
After voters declined to repeal the city camping ordinance, public commenters urged more shelter, storage and housing resources, and said the narrow margin means council should revisit solutions; speakers described direct aid and shelter gaps at local providers.
Voters in Morgantown rejected a ballot measure to repeal the city’s camping ordinance, and at Tuesday’s City Council meeting public commenters urged the council and community to focus on housing, expanded shelter and services rather than criminalization.
The City Clerk reported election returns at the meeting: 986 votes were cast against repealing the ordinance and 905 in favor. Council formally declared the election results as part of its canvass of the municipal election.
Multiple speakers used the public-comment period to press for alternative approaches. Paige Rearing, a Greenmont resident and community organizer, described driving four people to housing on a rainy Sunday night and said criminalizing camping does not address immediate needs. “I didn't just throw money at them and call it a day. I put myself in an admittedly risky situation because there is action behind my words, and there's authenticity to my values,” Rearing said, urging officials and neighbors to offer humane assistance.
Lindsay Jacobs, a resident of Woodburn, told the council the community’s earlier policy discussions focused on creating short-, mid- and long-term shelter capacity and preventing eviction. “We don't have a way to get them back into shelter because we don't have enough shelter,” Jacobs said, noting Grama Shelter’s capacity had fallen to 19 beds and that Rainbow House was near full.
A third commenter pointed to the margin in the election and urged caution: the measure’s outcome, the speaker said, turned on roughly 80 votes and should prompt the council to revisit policy choices. The commenter described concerns that camping bans implemented elsewhere produce only temporary gains and can worsen barriers to emergency and permanent housing.
Advocates at the meeting said they will continue organizing, including know-your-rights trainings and legal support if enforcement actions raise constitutional concerns. Several speakers, including representatives of advocacy groups, said they plan to press councilors to pair any public-safety measures with investments in shelter, storage, low-barrier services and affordable housing.
City staff and councilors did not announce immediate policy changes at Tuesday’s meeting; several council members said they expect continued public dialogue and potential future amendments.
The camping ordinance itself is recorded in city code as ordinance 2024-29 (new article 11-57), and the clerk said the results mean that ordinance remains in force until and unless council takes later action or the courts act.
