The debate over illegal camping in Wichita is set to go to City Councilmembers next week.
The council is considering changing rules to remove those camps more quickly, but this has prompted a petition from some who are calling for more compassion for the people in the community experiencing homelessness.
The proposed amendments would allow law enforcement to immediately tear down some homeless encampments in public areas without giving the un-housed a 72-hour notice, which is currently required. If passed, those who continue to violate the new rules could face a $200 fine or up to 30 days in jail. They could also do community service instead of paying a fee.
The petition organizer says such changes would compromise personal safety and civic trust and undermine housing and financial stability paths.
“All sweeps do is decrease the overall life expectancy of people being affected by them. If we’re actually going to solve this problem, we’re going to focus on solutions that the MAC will work right, which will not come from us sweeping them,” said petition organizer Piper Thomas with the Sunflower Community Support Network.
He is encouraged by the multi-agency center (MAC) still in the works that will help connect homeless individuals with services and permanent housing, but he says city leaders should focus on building trust with the homeless population so that they can seek the resources that the city is offering.
“We’re addressing food and water for a good majority of people, but we’re still missing out on shelter,” said Thomas.
He says there needs to be more compassionate solutions.
“Sweeping those people around doesn’t go anywhere to solving the problem. They just get moved to a different area,” said Thomas.
District 5 City Councilmember J.V. Johnston says this is not a punishment but rather a functional solution.
“There’s not going to be a massive sweep of everybody getting off the streets. That’s not going to happen,” he said.
He says City crews will offer homeless individuals the winter shelter and the MAC when it’s open next year.
“One thing I heard from the voters is they don’t want people camping on our streets, and I agree with that, and it’s not humane for them. They don’t have a water or temperature control,” said Johnston.
District 1 City Councilmember Brandon Johnson says he has some concerns.
“We’re kind of putting the cart before the horse. The other challenge is these folks are not going to jail. You know, jail is one of the penalties, but as soon as someone unhoused goes to jail, they’re going to get right back out and be back out in the community, and then where are they going to go, where their belongings,” said Johnson.
He says the homeless are still our neighbors, so it’s important to take care of them.
“We have a lot of work to do to build trust with them and house community to get them into a place like our emergency shelter,” said Johnson.
“If you’re going to have good opportunities, good economic policies for people, then you have to start at the very bottom and work your way up there,” said Thomas.
All three individuals agree that addressing this issue of homelessness is a complex one and needs multiple solutions to put individuals on a path to affordable and permanent housing. The vote is planned for next Tuesday.
