It’s now a crime to camp out on public property in New Philadelphia.
In an emergency vote on Monday evening, city council unanimously approved a new code section making it a misdemeanor offense to sleep outside in the city’s parks; on sidewalks, streets and alley; and within any private pedestrian or vehicular entrance abutting a public sidewalk.
Law director Marvin Fete proposed the addition that he says will help get those who refuse help off the street and into treatment by way of the criminal justice system.
“It’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re in the court system because it’s the only place that you can mandate treatment. That’s the first goal is to treat and rehab somebody it’s not to punish.”
The new section will allow the city to evict a homeless individual who has been camping out at Waterworks Park.
Committee chairman Mitch Pace considers it a necessary last resort since he has been unwilling to leave voluntarily.
“Tried to get him help and he’s refused it. We’ve really pushed to try to help him. I think it’s also more if someone tries to pitch a tent, and maybe they’re not homeless, at Tuscora Park, or one of the cemeteries, or other public property we don’t want that to become a thing.”
City officials must post a notice 24 hours before removing any campsite and provide the location to a ‘quote’ local agency delivering social services to homeless individuals.
Officials with the local homeless shelter have said that ‘fining and jailing our fellow citizens who lack financial resources will not increase revenue for the city’ or make it safer.
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