https://www.ksn.com/news/local/wichita-takes-action-on-illegal-camps-offers-pet-care/
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Two things happened in Wichita on Tuesday that could impact unhoused people. First, the Wichita City Council gave final approval to a stricter illegal camping ordinance. Then, the city announced it would help care for pets so unhoused people can stay at the emergency winter shelter, which doesn’t allow pets.
The ordinance
The illegal camping ordinance allows the city to immediately clean up an illegal campsite in front of a doorway, on a sidewalk or walking path, near a bridge, or at a bus shelter.
The city can clean up illegal campsites in other locations with only 48 hours’ notice, compared to the previous 72 hours.
Citations would only be given if a shelter space is available for the illegal camper. Penalties could be up to 30 days in jail or a fine of up to $200, lower than the previous $500. The person could choose community service at the rate of $10 an hour instead.
Wichita requires cleared sidewalks, but no deadline except for downtown
Reaction
The city council approved the ordinance on the first reading in December. Tuesday was the second reading to make it official. It was part of a consent agenda that included many other items. The council usually votes on the consent agenda items with one vote unless a council member asks for one of the items to be pulled.
Council member Brandon Johnson asked for the illegal camping ordinance to be pulled.
“I just wanted to pull this item and again express my disagreement with it,” he said.
Johnson pointed to Monday’s report that the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) tried encouraging 110 homeless people to go to the emergency shelter during the winter storm, but 76 refused.
“We still have much more work to do with our unhoused community before increasing enforcement efforts,” he said.
Several people, including the unhoused, spoke out against the ordinance at the council meeting.
Adam Greenleaf said he has tried the emergency winter shelter but has not liked some aspects of it, including having to throw away food he bought with his own money and being walked to the bathroom when he requested toilet paper.
“Even though we’ve been done wrong by our own community … because of the fear that we have of our resources that are available to us, we refuse to go,” he said.
Greenleaf asked the city to hold off voting on the ordinance until more people could be included in the conversation.
City staff said the discussions about the new ordinance included some of the unhoused, the HOT team, law, housing, parks, and others.