Fort Collins keeps camping ban, for now
Fort Collins staff members have dropped a proposal that would have permitted camping on public property, including city parks and natural areas, under certain circumstances.
A City Council discussion had been scheduled for Tuesday on amendments to city code that prohibit camping on public property. But the item has been pulled from the agenda and not rescheduled.
Staff is recommending the city focus on existing programs for assisting the homeless, said Deputy City Manager Jeff Mihelich in a news release. The recommendation came after a community meeting March 2 during which some participants expressed support for relaxing the city’s camping rules while others had reservations about the proposed changes.
“We are listening to our residents and the concerns they’ve expressed,” Mihelich said. “The city will continue implementing and identifying opportunities for community programs in response to issues raised during ongoing public dialogue about homelessness and the needs in our community.”
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The change in direction is frustrating for advocates for the homeless who have been lobbying City Council for months to remove legal barriers to resting and sleeping in public places.
“People need to sleep,” said Cheryl Distaso of the Fort Collins Homeless Coalition in an interview. “And even if we ticket them, they still need to sleep.”
Forcing homeless people to “move on” when they have nowhere to go “criminalizes and dehumanizes” the homeless and re-enforces negative stereotypes, she said.
The proposal would have allowed someone ticketed for illegal camping between sunset and sunrise with an “affirmative defense” when they appear in municipal court. If homeless shelters in Fort Collins were full at the time of the infraction, a ticket could be dismissed.
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Police officers would not have been obligated to check on vacancies and shelters before issuing a ticket, under the proposal.
The idea of allowing camping on public property -- including in alleys, on sidewalks, at transit facilities and in recreation areas and open spaces was alarming to some residents.
Damon Henry, who lives in Old Town North, said he has seen the trash and discarded camping equipment left by transients near his neighborhood.
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Allowing camping on public property “would not result in good outcomes for the community,” he said.
The city and nonprofits that work with the homeless need to take systemic approaches to address the complexities of homelessness, he said.
“Camping is not going to solve the problem,” Henry said.
Illegal camping is already an issue around Fort Collins, especially along the Poudre River. On Monday, Natural Areas rangers and police officers broke up camps set up near The Farm in Lee Martinez Park.
Notices were posted at the camp sites three days before officers moved in to clean them up, said Mike Calhoon, director of parks.
Campers usually clear out of an area once a notice has been posted. But on Monday, officers watched as four men and one woman gathered their belongings from two tents next to the river.
A dog belonging to one of the campers relaxed nearby in the sunshine. Two women walking dogs passed by on the trail about 10 yards from the camp.
Skyler Gibler said he had been at the camp about two weeks. Others had been there since January.
Valuables left behind will be taken to the police department. Other items will be held for 30 days at the parks office. If no one claims them, useful items will be given to Homeless Gear for redistribution.
“I feel bad for folks who don’t have somewhere to stay,” Calhoon said. “But this is not the place for them to be.”
Dozens of homeless people are on the streets in Fort Collins every night no matter the time of year, Distaso said.
The conversation is far from over, said City Council member Ross Cunniff. The matter should be brought back to council for a formal discussion, he said.
“For staff to just postpone indefinitely something that has been a huge community discussion would be very inappropriate,” he said.
While opposed to allowing camping in natural areas, parks and other city properties, Cunniff said he would be open to considering allowing camping on private property, such as on the grounds of churches, if adequate sanitary facilities were readily available.
Mayor Wade Troxell said staff will “follow a different tack” in addressing homeless, including continuing to support existing services available in Fort Collins.
Services include special municipal court hearings for people facing homelessness that connect them with assistance with employment, housing and health needs.
A new program called Outreach Fort Collins will use on-street teams to connect the homeless with services and support networks will be launched later this year, according to the city.
“I think we have built a robust service network through the Murphy Center and Homeward 2020 and other agencies,” Troxell said. “Fort Collins is not alone in this: We’re serving our community in a way that is responsive.”
Coloradoan photographer Valerie Mosley contributed to this report. Follow senior reporter Kevin Duggan on Twitter, @coloradoan_dugg, and on Facebook at Coloradoan Kevin Duggan.