Homeless camp ordinance prompts three hours of testimony at City Council
A proposal to outlaw camping on public property attracted a crowd today before the Colorado Springs City Council as some 30 people testified during about three hours of public comment.
The ordinance would make it illegal to occupy a tent, shack or other temporary shelter on public property. It is designed to eliminate the tent cities that have developed along creeks and in parks downtown and on the city's west side.
Read the updated story: Council votes 8-1 to ban camping.
An estimated 300 to 500 people live in the camps. City officials say they are a sanitary nightmare and the dozens of open fires in the camps pose a public danger. In addition, law enforcement officials say the camps are havens for criminals and drugs.
The ordinance was first proposed weeks ago after outcry from businesses and homeowners that the camps were getting out of hand.
Most of those testifying at City Hall today opposed the ordinance and urged council members to delay a vote.
Opponents were led by tax-limitation crusader Douglas Bruce who said the ordinance was poorly written and would lead to selective enforcement by police.
Others who opposed it included a leading homeless advocate, people who identified themselves as homeless, and even students from Colorado College who called it unjust to outlaw survival.
Several spoke in favor of the ordinance, saying it was unacceptible to do nothing. Businessmen described the impact of homeless who come out of the camps, aggressively panhandle and scare customers.
Among the supporters of the ordinance was Dave Munger, president of the Council of Neighbors and Organizations, the umbrella group for the city's neighborhood associations.
One supporter of the ordinance noted that the El Pomar Foundation has promised a grant to ensure there are enough beds to provide emergency housing for homeless people displaced from the campsites.
Check back to Gazette.com later to see what the City Council eventually does with the issue.
