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Allentown committee hears expert testimony and concerns on proposed encampment ordinance
Summary
Councilors reviewed a draft ordinance to create SOPs for public‑property encampment responses, heard expert testimony favoring harm‑reduction approaches, raised concerns about an "immediate hazard" exception and county coordination, and noted a March 5 county/city workshop for further work.
Councilor Gerlach presented a draft ordinance intended to standardize how Allentown responds to encampments on public property and reduce the harm caused by abrupt clearances. The committee heard testimony from Eric Tarras, senior policy director at the National Homelessness Law Center, who urged a proactive, outreach‑focused approach and urged the council to adopt the ordinance as a first step.
Tarras said the measure, modeled on a Kitsap County approach, would require sanitation and outreach and “set Allentown up for a win‑win situation where both housed and unhoused residents come out ahead.” He warned against relocating people without…
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