Altoona council adopts urban‑camping ordinance 5–2 amid heavy public opposition

Altoona City Council on April 13 adopted a new ordinance regulating 'urban camping' in the city, with a 5–2 roll‑call vote after more than an hour of public comment.

The measure, introduced by Vice Mayor Ellis, creates Chapter 509 of the city code defining and restricting camping and authorizes enforcement and penalties. Vice Mayor Ellis moved adoption and Councilwoman Klinich seconded; Councilman Kelly and Mayor Pacifico voted no.

The vote followed a packed public‑comment period in which many residents urged alternatives to criminalization. "We must offer solutions to homelessness before making it a crime to be homeless," said Steven Geise, a public commenter. Others argued the ordinance would punish people with mental‑health and substance‑use disorders rather than connect them to services. "The moment you attach a fee to a protest or assembly in a public forum, you're no longer managing logistics, you are deciding who gets to be heard," said Gina Strawmyer, addressing related concerns about public‑gathering rules.

Council members who supported the ordinance emphasized that the city has been coordinating with social‑service agencies and magisterial district judges to avoid punitive outcomes when officers encounter people living outdoors. Mayor Pacifico said enforcement would focus on referrals: when law enforcement or code officers encounter someone sleeping outside, "a social service agency will be notified" and the person will be offered transitional housing or assistance rather than immediate arrest, the mayor said.

Opponents and several council members said the ordinance still risks criminalizing basic public behavior without first increasing shelter capacity and other supports. Councilman Pacifico, who voted against the measure, said he had recently helped place two people into motels and that he had "a real issue with criminalizing people sleeping outside."

The council did not adopt any new fee schedule tied to public events as part of this ordinance; fees for police coverage were discussed separately and tabled. Council also said the ordinance goes into effect immediately; officials said enforcement procedures and coordination with social services will be refined as implementation begins.

Votes at a glance (selected council actions from April 13): - Consent items A–L (contracts, street work, capital projects): approved unanimously 7–0 (includes $1,638,249.23 award for 2026 capital street reconstruction; $500,276.20 parking lot renovation; $216,951.91 CDBG street reconstruction; liquid fuels distribution of $272,120.99). - Item M (repository bid by GDI Enterprises for multiple properties): rejected, 0–7. - Ordinance — Urban camping (new Chapter 509): adopted, 5–2. - Ordinance — Police civil‑service physical‑agility testing (Chapter 105): adopted, 7–0. - Ordinance — Halfway/recovery house licensing amendments (Chapter 571): failed, 0–7. - Ordinance — Public gatherings (Chapter 553): adopted, 6–1. - Ordinance — Conveyance of 320 E. Chestnut Ave to Redevelopment Authority: adopted, 7–0.

What happens next: City staff said they will continue coordinating with social‑service providers and the magisterial district judges to shape how enforcement is carried out and to prioritize housing referrals. Council members said the halfway‑house licensing proposal will be revised and reintroduced after additional review.

(Reporting note: quotes and vote tallies are taken from the council meeting transcript.)