July 8, 2015
Woodland City Council members are considering amendments to a city camping ordinance that could, among other things, make it illegal to camp on public property.
“The ordinance criminalizes a basic survival need of homeless persons — the need to rest,” Alysa Meyer stated in a letter to the council. “While the proposed amendments would effectively prevent homeless people from possessing personal property.”
Meyer, a managing attorney with Legal Services of Northern California, reiterated her plea to the council. She commended Woodland’s existing affordable housing and suggested that the council focus on that issue.
Other organizations voiced their concern about the need for compassion and the socioeconomic impact of criminalizing homelessness. A downtown business owner stressed the need to take a right course of action.
Organizations mentioned/involved: Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC)