By Pauline Masson
Pacific is not alone in trying to determine how to deal with persons sleeping in tents or makeshift shelters within the city limits. But how cities deal with the challenge varies greatly.
Police Chief Scott Melies has been consistent in his quest for a law that will authoize his department to remove homeless persons, which he describes as “unsheltered.”
Aldermen backed away from his fist attempt at a new city law that would have made it a crime to sleep in a structure deemed uninhabitable. City Attorney Bob Jones, who helped Melies write the law, said “uninhabitable,” meant any structure not hooked up to city sewer and water. Aldermen refused to vote on the law.
The determining factor in their unwillingness to act on the proposed law, aldermen said, was because the ordinance would also have made criminals of citizens who allowed homeless persons to sleep in tents, campers or RVs on their property. They said the city should not be making laws about who can sleep on private property.
But Alderman Jerry Eversmeyer said in spite of the unwillingness to approve that law the city still needs to protect City property from homeless people. He cited the undeveloped city property along the Meramec River that is targeted for a future river trail. He said homeless camps are located in that area now and can be seen, especially from the river.
At Eversmeyer’s request, City Attorney Bob Jones and Chief Melies were asked to draft a new law that will prohibit persons from sleeping in uninhabitable strutures on any City property.
This new law could come before aldermen as early as the Feb. 21 board of aldermen meeting.
Mr. Eversmeyer is calling for a process that is strong enough to assure that individuals who are removed from camps do not return to city property and set up another uninhabitable structure.
Up to now, there does not appear to be large numbers of persons camping on city property but Mr. Eversmsyer is looking to the future. He said the State of Missouri recently announced its intentions to remove homeless encampments from state property, which puts Pacific is at risk. If the state pushes the encampments from Pacific Palisades at Pacific’s border, he said, the individuals will move their camps onto Pacific’s wooded area along the river.
The question of how to deal with homeless individuals nags some aldermen. There several courses of action open to the City.
1. Arrest the individuals, take them to city hall for fingerprinting and set a court date for the municipal judge to determine any penalty, a fine or incarcertaion. This would create a criminal record and could affect the individuals ability to secure housing or a job.
2. Issue a citation for trespassing on city property, requiring them to appear before the municipal judge and release them.
3. Buldoze any structures on city property, destroying their sleeping quarters and personal belongings.
4. Place the individuals in a city vehicle and drive them to the city limits and put them out.
5. Others?
The question that cities face in dealing with homeless individuals is whether to offer some kind of assistance or remove them from the city.
Here are reports of what some cities are doing.
City of St. Louis can remove homeless encampments but the city generally would be required to give 30 days’ notice before removing homeless people from such outdoor sites and provide adequate accessible replacement housing. But the city has more leeway when such camps create unsafe or hazardous conditions, allowing removal on 48-hour notice.
In Cape Girardeau MO it is illegal for homeless people to sleep on city property but a group called Street Level is petitioning the city to provide a specific supervised tenting area on city park grounds at, a dedicated parking lot nearby for people sleeping in vehicles, and direct access to free showers at the Osage Centre.
In West Plains MO a non-profit organization opened its doors to homeless veterans. It’s called Salutes and is part homeless shelter for veterans and part thrift store. The goal is simple – to provide a safe place for homeless veterans.
Houston MO which identifies groups of homeless in many wooded areas, tries to count the idividusl to know how many homeless there are in the area. And a small teams of volunteers conducts homeless outreach, interacting with the homeless directly. The group tries to meet their physical needs by providing food and clothing but also works to identify individuals looking to transition out of homelessness.
In Springfield MO The Revive 66 Campground offers pop up tents with solar heading that can be rented by anyone including the homeless for $10 a night on a first come first serve basis. Restroom, shower and washer and dryer are available. Eden Village I and II, tiny home communities for chronically homeless people provides the tents. If someone doesn’t have the $10, gift cards/vouchers are available thanks to donations.No ID is required and pets and couples are welcome.
Rolla and Sedalia MO and St. Louis County and more provide a list of housing resources of shelters and low cost housing services available in the city on www.shelterlistings.org that offers – over 3,000 listings and includes emergency shelters, homeless shelters, day shelters, transitional housing, shared housing, residential drug alcohol rehabilitation programs and permanent affordable housing. Of course you have to have access to a computer to view the list.
Pacific MO One groups of volunteers wants to set up a kiosk or pick-up station in the city, operated by volunteers, where the homeless would have access to free food, clothing, blankets, personal care products and a list of local agencies that provide aid – no questions asked.
There is no easy answer to how to respond to homeless people. Each community has to decide wether to concentrate on help for the homeless or methods to keep them out of the community.
If you have strong feelings on this issue, or ideas of solutions that would fit the cultural makeup of our community, share them with your alderman. You never know what might take hold.
Pacific Aldermen:
Ward One: Rick Presley and Sara Gendron
Ward Two: Jerry Eversmeyer and James Cleeve
Ward Three: Scott Lesh and Jill Pigg
Of course Jerry Eversmeyer said in the meeting when he brought it up again, that he wanted something that would move faster than issuing citations. And don’t be fooled, it was Jerry Eversmeyer that brought this up again in his time to speak at the end. Remember during elections.
It is great that these other cities and towns have a plan in place to try and help. Some are homeless because of unfortunate circumstances, some by their addictions, some mental illness and some, because it is just their choice. But as we aren’t totally without resources, addicts or mentally ill, we should be thankful and have some compassion to try to help and not kick them when they are down.
I heard a group searched and counted the homeless. And the number wasn’t as large as I think we were led to believe.
And as I have said before, a lot of these homeless have grown up here, have lived here, have family here, went to school here. So showing them the city limits sign, won’t really make a difference to them.
If the volunteer group gets organized, please write about it so people will know how to volunteer. If the city allows such a thing as helping the homeless.