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Council discusses proposed camping ordinance; members raise concerns about enforcement and services
Summary
Council members discussed a proposed ordinance addressing homelessness and camping on public property. No vote was taken; the mayor and council asked staff and the chief to review language and consider a first reading at a future meeting. Members stressed the need for services, designated spaces, sanitation and coordination before enforcement.
Jacksonville aldermen discussed a proposed ordinance to address homelessness and camping on public property but took no formal action.
The mayor said the draft ordinance had been circulated and that the council could place it on the agenda for a first reading if members were ready. He said Chief Thompson had spoken with representatives from O'Fallon, which the chief viewed as a useful model, and noted the council could clean up the ordinance between first and second readings.
Council members raised multiple operational concerns about enforcement and the likely displacement effects of banning camping on public property. One council member said: "If we pass the ordinance and we say no camping on city or public property, these individuals are going somewhere. Where?" That speaker emphasized the need to consider where people might move, and to ensure the city coordinates services or transportation to allowable locations.
Other points raised during the discussion included: - Complaints from residents about encampments on vacant lots next to homes and the aesthetic and litter impacts of camps. - Doubts about the efficacy of municipal court fines for littering when cited persons lack resources to pay. - Suggestions to designate a sanctioned space with rules and services, including porta-potties and dumpsters, and to work with leaders within the homeless community to craft rules. - A recognition that winter is approaching and that people will seek shelter in abandoned buildings or other places.
The mayor and several council members said they want further input from City Attorney Noel Beard and from Chief Thompson; they also discussed convening stakeholders and nonprofit service providers to brainstorm options. The council did not set a firm date for the ordinance's first reading but indicated it could be placed on a future agenda if members want to proceed.
