Resident urges housing-first approach, warns no-camping ordinance would criminalize homelessness

During public comment, resident Brandon Stone appealed to the council to avoid criminalizing homelessness through a proposed no-camping ordinance and urged officials to favor a housing-first approach that coordinates social services, police and fire personnel.

Stone said the no-camping ordinance being discussed at a prior meeting risks criminalizing people who are unhoused and would not resolve homelessness. “Ultimately, I think that's an urgent problem...but I think because people are so desperate to resolve this quickly, it's leading towards going towards the no camping ordinance, which ultimately would criminalize homelessness in this town and would not resolve the issue that we're facing,” he said.

Stone suggested individualized, interdepartmental work between social services, fire and police and cited Rockford's "built for 0" program as an example he said had reduced veteran homelessness. He warned criminalization would expand demands on already strained departments and urged more humanitarian approaches rather than additional restrictions.

Context and limits: Stone spoke as a member of the public during the comment period; the provided transcript excerpt does not show council debate or a vote on a no-camping ordinance during this meeting segment.