Columbus council advances amendment to camping ban requiring 24‑hour notice amid worries about criminalizing homelessness

Columbus City Council on July 22 approved an amendment to a proposed ordinance that would prohibit camping on public property, adding a requirement that “a minimum of 24 hours shall be allotted prior to such removal and transport of such property.” The measure was proposed and explained by Councilor Charmaine Crabb; the amendment passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Councilors and members of the public spent more than an hour debating the proposal and its consequences. Several residents and advocates warned that clearing outdoor encampments without adequate housing or services would push people into more precarious situations. Amy Borden, a resident, told the council that clearing camps can cause people to lose identification and possessions and “pushes them into a lot of other areas, whether that's abandoned housing, whether that's setting up another encampment.”

Attorney Anthony Johnson, who works frequently with people involved in…