City-County Council panel doesn’t take up proposal to change laws on homeless camps
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee of the Indianapolis-Marion County City-County Council on Wednesday night decided not to move forward with a proposal to change the city laws that limit homeless encampments.
City laws say campsites and personal property may not block more than 50% of the public right of way.
Councilor Ethan Evans, an independent who changed from his Democratic Party designation, proposed removing that language while keeping another part that states fully blocking sidewalks and roads is not allowed.
Evans’ proposal did not receive any support.
“I felt it was a compromise to say let’s get rid of some of the language saying you couldn’t prohibit people from being in part of the right of way, but you could still say if someone is obstructing enough of the right of way and public sidewalk to be a danger or force people into a dangerous situation, then, yes, you can tell them to move,” Evans said.
Brian Mowery, a Republican who is the council’s minority leader, took issue with the proposed change as a public safety concern. He asked how Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Indianapolis Fire Department, emergency medical technicians and other first responders can “respond to folks if they are obstructed in their ability to get from Point A to Point B in an efficient manner.”
Evans also noted that when encampments are closed down people may be unable to take personal items, including identifying documents, with them. He wants the Office of Public Health and Safety to hold them for 60 days.
Evans said, “I was trying to add the protection that was afforded people that were displaced initially to have their items recorded for 60 days and saved and cataloged.”
Evans’ idea to have quarterly updates presented to the council from the Office of Public Health and Safety on the data collected about those experiencing homelessness was met with some support.
Mowery said, “I think one thing this proposal did do well is the quarterly updates. I would love to see the updates and I think we can strive for that and maybe that’s something we can look at in the future.”
Evans said he will go back to the drawing board when it comes to the data-sharing proposal from the Office of Public Health and Safety.