Resident urges council to ban camping on public property, cites conditions at Carmine Knapp Park

Brad Workman of 928 North Brown Avenue told the council during public comment that he supported passing a proposed city ordinance to stop camping on public property and described conditions near Carmine Knapp Park that he said have made the park less usable.

"I'm here to support the passing or adoption of the proposed city ordinance to stop camping on the public property," Workman said. He said he lives across the street from Carmine Knapp Park and described seeing more people he identified as homeless, yelling and rummaging through garbage, and leaving trash in public areas.

Workman said the park, which he heard referred to locally as "the Homeless Park," is in worse condition than he remembered and that those conditions are affecting families and children who use city programs. He thanked the police captain for candid public statements in recent media interviews and told the council he was speaking for himself rather than representing the broader public.

There was no council action recorded on the ordinance during the public-comment period; the remarks were received as public comment.