Affluent New Jersey city considers controversial ordinance that would fine or jail homeless people for sleeping outside

A tony New Jersey city is considering approving a controversial new ordinance that would fine or jail homeless people found sleeping in public spaces.Summit Councilman Jamel Boyer, a Republican, introduced the ordinance last Tuesday, claiming it serves to “preserve the safe and accessible use of public property for all residents, pedestrians and businesses.”The ordinance in Summit would prohibit the homeless from camping in public areas, including parks, sidewalks, alleyways, and benches.If approved, anyone found violating the ordinance would face a fine of up to $2,000 “and/or imprisonment or community service for a term not to exceed ninety days,” the order says.A similar ordinance was presented in Morristown, NJ, in February but was struck down following massive backlash from the community and advocacy groups, NJ.com reported.But Boyer assured that the controversial ordinance “addresses the growing concerns about obstructions and public nuisances caused by encampments while ensuring our shared spaces remain clean, safe and welcoming for the community.”Of the six-person council, only Councilmember Claire Toth, a Democrat, spoke out against the ordinance.“After two years of significant progress on reducing homelessness in Summit, capped by our receiving national recognition at the recent National Alliance to End Homelessness conference in Los Angeles, this moves us in the wrong direction,” she said at the meeting.Still, Boyer swore that the ordinance “is not about criminalizing homelessness,” but rather preventing it and “doing the right thing.”Summit has already made efforts toward eliminating homelessness.Last year, the city established a task force to address homelessness and said it was able to place 20 out of 25 homeless people in stable housing.

Its effectiveness was even celebrated at the National Alliance to End Homelessness conference in March.Last June, an Oregon city’s ordinance that fines homelessness encampments on public pro...