Elkhart City Leaders Hold Off Vote On Homeless Ordinance

Source: (Photo: Fabian Sommer/picture alliance via Getty Images)

ELKHART, Ind. — Elkhart city leaders are trying to crack down on the number of homeless camps that are popping up throughout the city.

It’s been a growing problem throughout many public areas of the city and common councilors have been doing their best to address what has become what they are calling a “sensitive issue.”

“I just think it’s important to understand that the mayor and this administration respects the rights of the homeless as well as the rights of the citizens,” said Bradley Tracy, Chief of Staff for Mayor Rob Roberson. “I believe from the bottom of his heart he is trying to find solutions.”

The ordinance they discussed Monday night would allow police to remove homeless people and their belongings from wherever they are camped if it is deemed a nuisance, but if there are no spaces available at any of the city’s homeless shelters then the homeless person in question would be allowed to stay where they are.

Police have been a big supporter of the bill, because at the moment even with current legislation on the books telling them how to handle homeless people, they say that legislation is took vague and that the bill being discussed would add needed clarification.

“There are ordinances already out there,” said Arvis Dawson (D), an Elkhart Common Councilor. “But when listening to the police chief he felt that the ordinance we were introducing tonight was one that will accompany those other ordinances.”

Still, there were other concerns brought up by councilors like whether or not the ordinance would be in violation of a homeless person’s 4th amendment rights.

Because of questions still lingering about it, councilors decided to hold off on voting on the measure in order to get more clarification on the impacts the bill would have if it were to become law.