Fayetteville council approves ordinance banning obstruction of streets and sidewalks after heated debate over impacts on people experiencing homelessness

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The Fayetteville City Council on April 28 adopted an ordinance that makes it unlawful to impede the flow of traffic in a street or to block a sidewalk, a measure council members said fills a gap in city code but that residents and some councilors warned could punish people living outdoors without offering alternatives.

The city attorney told council the ordinance was new and would “make it unlawful for individuals to impede the flow of traffic in the street, as well as to block a sidewalk.” The ordinance was set with a proposed effective date of May 26, 2025.

Supporters said the provision addresses public safety and mobility problems. Opponents, including Councilmember Benavente, argued the city should link enforcement to services for homeless residents. “When I think of the needs of our, most vulnerable communities, our unhoused community, we should be thinking of ways to find appropriate transitional housing and eventually permanent housing for them,”…