GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids community members gathered at a public meeting Tuesday as the city considers changing two existing ordinances.
Many people believe these changes will negatively affect those struggling with homelessness.
“It is high time you live up to the oaths you all took to serve every member of this community,” one person said during public comment, which lasted more than five hours.
The proposed changes would alter the city’s disorderly conduct and nuisance ordinances.
Changes include a ban on tents and other attachments, along with where and how people can store their personal property.
In some cases, the city would be able to seize excess or unattended items in the public right of way. The city defines excess personal property as anything that cannot fit into a 32-gallon container.
However, there would be a way for people to get their stuff back if the city took it.
“I’ve been a resident of this city all my life. I’ve never once felt threatened by a houseless person. I’ve never felt scared by a houseless person. I’ve never been asked for money and felt fear for my life because these are people who are humans. Instead of criminalizing them, we should be helping them,” a community member added.
The second part of the changes would define “loitering” and “accosting” more clearly under city ordinance.
Loitering would be defined as intentionally blocking or messing with people’s ability to use public spaces and rights-of-way safely.
Changes to the disorderly conduct code would also add a definition for what it means to be accosted— essentially, banning people from repeatedly approaching others without their consent.
Not everyone who spoke up during public comment was against the proposed changes, including some city commissioners and others from the business community.
“I think it’s important to humanely figure out how to handle the homeless issue, but this is not a homeless issue. It’s a behavioral issue,” someone said.
Commissioners did not make a decision at Tuesday’s hearing.
There has already been backlash from the ACLU, which says the proposed changes unfairly target panhandlers and other people experiencing homelessness.
The city hopes to take a final action by July 25.
