​Overview

Homelessness is a complex issue, and cities and counties often must tread a fine line between providing adequate services to individuals experiencing homelessness and attempting to regulate the impact of homelessness in public spaces. Common areas of regulation include soliciting aid, pedestrian and vehicular interference, and sleeping in public spaces. Jurisdictions should use caution when attempting to address these issues because they may have the effect of criminalizing homelessness and be counterproductive to efforts in moving people from the Unsheltered Homeless, they are in to Transitional Housing when it becomes available.

   Procedural caution needs to be considered in each case, allowing local authorities the ability to educate individuals on the boundaries and the series of consequences if their actions violate the ordinance. The map provided generally shows the boundaries within the most active areas of our downtown business, entertainment, and educational institutions.

   The above map is only an example of what kind of information has to be provided to our     community homeless population showing them where the boundaries are and there is a temporary housing available.