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Resident warns Altoona draft urban‑camping ordinance could criminalize homelessness
Summary
A resident urged the council to revise the city's draft urban camping ordinance to avoid fines and jail time for people sleeping in public spaces and recommended adopting Pittsburgh's notice-and-referral approach instead.
Devin Sailor told council he researched Pittsburgh's approach to encampments and urged Altoona to follow a notice-and-referral model that emphasizes assistance rather than penalties. Sailor said the city's current draft defines camping and personal property in ways that could subject people to fines or jail and does not use the language of social‑service referrals that he found in the Pittsburgh policy.
"If you create a law that makes homelessness unlawful, I'm sorry, but this ordinance sole intention is to criminalize homelessness," Sailor said, arguing the local draft includes fines and penalties and lacks procedural protections such as a seven‑day notice and guidance on collecting and holding personal property. He urged council to adopt elements that provide grace and dignity and to remove criminal penalties where possible.
Sailor recommended the council consider borrowing the sections of Pittsburgh's policy that set out identification of encampments, notice procedures and service referrals rather than provisions that impose penalties. Council members acknowledged the public comment and said staff would follow up where necessary.
