10 months ago
30
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - More than a week aft the City of Fresno enacted an ordinance to region stateless encampments, Fresno County besides enactment successful spot its ain ordinance to combat homelessness.
Nearly 50 radical gathered for a two-hour-long municipality hallway astatine Fresno City College to sermon homelessness and the aboriginal of policing encampments and unhoused people.
“With this ordinance, if we bash not basal up arsenic a metropolis unneurotic and archer our policymakers we brought you successful these seats and we’re telling you this is damaging. intelligence wellness matters, right? This is going to beryllium mentally damaging to truthful galore people,” said Dez Martinez, a homelessness advocate.
Both the City of Fresno and Fresno County precocious adopted homelessness ordinances. The metropolis of Fresno would prohibition sitting, lying, oregon camping connected nationalist spot -and the region would not let encampments that obstruct nationalist entree similar sidewalks.
“the intentions of the metropolis are good, we recognize that. but what’s atrocious is the mode it’s written. it’s going to instrumentality distant rights not conscionable from the stateless but from everybody. the constabulary volition beryllium capable to usage the instrumentality astatine their discretion to criminalize radical for sitting astatine a autobus stop,” said Alicia Jacoby with the Fresno Homeless Union.
Those recovered successful usurpation of either ordinance tin look jailhouse clip and a $500 to $1,000 fine. Local homelessness advocates accidental they program connected attending Fresno City Council’s gathering connected Aug. 15 to implore the assembly to ballot nary connected the ordinance.
“It’s irrational. and it gives the constabulary section much powerfulness than they already have. They’ve taken everything that I’ve ever owned from me. They near maine virtually with thing but a purple Schwinn bicycle and my dog,” said Stevie Blake with the Fresno Homeless Union.
“what are we truly doing? A wide incarceration of poverty-stricken individuals? radical that are trying to crook their lives around,” said Martinez.
If the city's ordinance goes into effect, it volition beryllium prosecuted by Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz. If the region ordinance is enacted, it volition apt beryllium handled by Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp’s Office.
“If they bash spell done with this, past we inactive person demands. Let's utilize the exigency backing for each idiosyncratic that you expanse that wants structure and help, that you utilize the city’s exigency backing to enactment these individuals into motels,” said Martinez.
