11 months ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Homeless advocates are frustrated aft the City of Fresno passed the nary sitting, lying, oregon camping successful nationalist places ordinance.
This ordinance volition instrumentality effect Sept. 15, which volition let metropolis officials to region stateless encampments.
"Disappointed by not surprised," said Fresno lawyer Kevin Little, who went earlier the assembly and Mayor Jerry Dyer to reason this ordinance. “The plight of the unhoused is not lone 1 of the astir important ineligible challenges our nine presently faces, it's besides an important quality rights issue,” said Little.
In Fresno, officials accidental determination is not capable affordable lodging oregon resources for trauma survivors, oregon those dealing with intelligence wellness and substance abuse.
“We are 1 of the poorest cities successful California, yet rent present is rising faster than each but 8 places, not lone successful California, but the nation," Little said. "So what are we going to bash astir this issue?"
Overcrowding successful the Fresno County Jail is besides a concern.
"It's going to effect successful a important summation successful the jailhouse population, a important summation successful the tribunal caseload, a important strain connected the resources of the system, the DA, probation, the judiciary.”
Jody Ketcheside, Vice President of the Fresno Madera Continuum Care, says this ordinance could forestall the unhoused from having aboriginal opportunities to person a spot to stay.
“It's going to complicate people, complicate things for radical who are connected the streets, it's going to complicate things for work providers erstwhile folks person citations, fines and they're not capable to marque it to a tribunal oregon their documents get mislaid due to the fact that they're connected the streets oregon their documents get stolen, those things thin to crook into felonies.”
She says successful their January count, determination were much than 3,800 unhoused successful some the region and the City of Fresno.
“If you thrust down to Poverello House wherever the representation point, entree constituent is you volition spot a enactment extracurricular the gathering with folks waiting for services, the shelters that are entree points person lines each greeting for radical looking for beds, they're not refusing services, the beds aren't there," Ketcheside said.
Little has represented the unhoused successful transgression tribunal and volition proceed to bash truthful if the ordinance is enforced.
