Southpinellas: Rules to ban tent cities

ST. PETERSBURG - The City Council passed a series of ordinances Thursday that would outlaw impromptu tent cities from forming along city sidewalks.

The ordinances, which each passed 6-0, also would prohibit people from sleeping on sidewalks next to residential property and all city rights-of-way if shelter space is available. Council members Rene Flowers and Earnest Williams were not at Thursday's meeting.

The ordinances were a response to the tent cities that have grown in parts of the city since December.

"We are committed to help folks in need. We'll continue to help folks in need," said Mayor Rick Baker. "But we have to protect people who invested in their home and their businesses in St. Petersburg. We have to do that."

"I have had it with the demands tent city and the facilitators are dishing out," said Lynn Hawkins, a city resident who supported the measures.

Eric Rubin, an advocate for the homeless who opposed the ordinances, said of the 75 tents at the city's temporary encampment on 15th Street, 74 are now filled. Yet more people are still looking for a place to stay, Rubin said.

Rubin suggested that the city lease vacant land it owns for 10 years to become a more permanent tent city.

A coalition of civil rights groups and the Pinellas-Pasco public defender's office also opposed the ordinances, telling council members they may be unconstitutional. Federal courts have ruled that local governments cannot criminalize homelessness, said local attorney Mark Kamleiter, speaking for the American Civil Liberties Union, the Southern Legal Counsel and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

City officials say the ordinances make arrest a last resort. No one sleeping in the public right of way, for example, can be arrested if shelter space is not available within 3 miles of the city limits.

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by kristidaley	04/06/07 10:18 AM
why would make a law like that? that hurts homeless people they do not have a place to live if they sleep on the street they do not know if a shelter is avalible for them to syay in. that is a really mean law.

by juliana	04/06/07 10:16 AM
Why do you have to made a low about the homless if they not have a home to live on.

by Corey	03/20/07 09:23 AM
Once again a reminder: most of the tent city type homeless are chronic homeless: 5,6,9,12,15 years! They need supervised shelter. The recent homeless just want temporary shelter to be able to get back to stable jobs. We should help them.

by Kurt	03/18/07 07:26 PM
The Pinellas BCC raped us on property taxes after parading one homeless advocate after another before unanimously voting in the largest tax hike in Pinellas history. With all that money they could have bought enough hotels to solve the problem.

by Brian	03/16/07 05:56 PM
While homelessness isn't criminal many of their actions are. I cannot tell you how many times I've seen them deficating and urinating out in the open, panhandling, loitering, littering and drinking alcohol in public. All criminal.

by rick	03/16/07 05:09 PM
Sadly, 60% of these people are dysfunctional due to addiction/psychological disorders. Shelters won't work because they require abstention from liquor,drugs and cigaretts and the homeless don't like being told what to do. Certainly an impasse.

by Mike	03/16/07 04:35 PM
The majority of the "city's" homeless have lived here for less than a year. The majority of tent city residents moved in from places outside St. Pete. The city's homeless pop is growing thru migration not local economics. That has to stop.

by St. Peterburg	03/16/07 03:54 PM
I think having a permanent tent city is a good idea. Then Mr.Rubin can become the official mayor of the city and be paid off of the taxes that the tent city generates. Think his salary would be about jack squat.

by Z	03/16/07 03:19 PM
I work hard for the PRIVILEGE of living in this city it is NOT a right. I have volunteered time & money to helping the homeless, I feel for those that need a little help, but to those who abuse the system the message is clear, "LEAVE OUR CITY".

by Jro	03/16/07 02:20 PM
The codes stipulate that IF THERE ARE BEDS AVAILABLE there will be no sleeping in the right of way. It is safer for a homeless person to be in a shelter and it is safer for the community. Why is this so difficult for people to understand and support?

by Jason	03/16/07 02:09 PM
Lisa, go back to where you came from, nobody's stopping you if you don't like someone parking their boat on their lawn. I-95 North - USE IT!

by Tony	03/16/07 12:31 PM
Rickster what are you doing to help the situation? What have you given up so you can help? Why should we help people who don't want to help themselves?

by Tammy	03/16/07 12:30 PM
Hey Rickster, I earn my $5 and $200 meals. My way of helping is the $30,000 I pay in taxes/year. That's right, I pay more than most Floridians make. So you're welcome. Nobody hands me a thing, I earn it and I won't feel guilty for buying things.

by Sara	03/16/07 12:08 PM
Vice Mayor! The only reason they gave him the job is because he was crying the city was not doing enough to help the south side. Now that the city has invested millions of dollars he still is crying. yet he makes 100k. What a waste of money

by Lisa	03/16/07 11:55 AM
If you can't afford to live here, move somewhere else. That's tough, but that's life. There is no entitlement to living in warm weather in a beach community. If I couldn't pay my bills, I go, I don't pitch a tent and hope for donations.

by Daniel	03/16/07 11:55 AM
Nice headline SPTIMES - no one is banning tent cities, in fact the city just reopened the one on 4th Ave. This ordinance makes it illegal for the homeless to sleep in MY yard, and requires them to camp in designated areas instead of city right of way

by John	03/16/07 11:52 AM
The article fails to mention the 150 plus beds added in the last few months, the amenitites added at the reopened temporary housing camp on 4th ave, and the million plus dollars the mayor raised in recent weeks to support the homeless.

by Rickster	03/16/07 11:47 AM
I am ashamed to be from St Petersburg anymore. When more people care about being able to park their boat in the front yard than human beings who are ill and need help. Selfish people spending $5 for coffee $200 for dinner We can't find a way to help?

by Lee	03/16/07 11:46 AM
This is a great first step. Now let's stop proposing any 'permanent;' tent cities and enact some ordinances to eliminate the panhandling that is chronic in our city by these homless persons. Getting tough is the only way to curb all of this.

by Brian Pumphrey	03/16/07 11:24 AM
In this debate, several points are very clear: - Many Saint Petersburg residents believe the city is overly catering to the homeless; - We need further ordinances in place to restrict homeless activity; - Golith Davis should step down as Deputy Mayor

by Jack	03/16/07 11:21 AM
Is it not the job of the city counsel to protect the best interest of the CITY(property values, economy, safety, etc)? Homelessness is a serious nationwide problem, but the city counsel can't allow the homeless to damage the city's reputation/economy

by Sam	03/16/07 11:15 AM
This is great news. You should not be able to pop a tent anywhere you want. Stay at a shelter or move on!

by Phil	03/16/07 11:10 AM
My neighbor was recently cited (code violation) for erecting a carport on his own property. As his neighbor, I had nothing but compliments on his workmanship. Nice going. The "haves" get harrassed while the "have nots" get a pass and ACLU legal aid!

by Charles	03/16/07 11:09 AM
It seems in this discussion many have forgotten that many homeless DO work, but they can't afford the thousands it takes to move in: first and last, deposit, and a previous address.

by Nancy	03/16/07 10:52 AM
I like the idea of a tent city...I may have to move there soon since I can't afford the taxes and insurance on my own home...

by Gabriel	03/16/07 10:45 AM
Goes to show you the city CAN act quickly and decisively when it comes to the homeless problem in St. Pete. I just wish they were working to make the situation BETTER instead of WORSE. Shame on you all, City Concil.

by Lisa	03/16/07 10:43 AM
Banning this will make it go away right? Talk about heads in the sand. What plans have you made for these people? Did not think so.

by Sue	03/16/07 10:41 AM
Eric Rubin wants a permanent tent city? That really doesn't solve the problem of homelessness. It just adds to it.

by Lynn	03/16/07 10:30 AM
Keep dreaming Mr. Rubin. St. Petersburg is a city NOT a campgroud. We will help those that really need it and the others will have to find somewhere more affordable to live if they can't make it here. That's how it works. Dallas, NC - very cheap!

by Sarah	03/16/07 10:26 AM
PERMANENT TENT CITY???You've got to be kidding.Tents are not meant to be housing;they're for camping short-term. I help every chance I get by donating money and goods but I am also a citizen of SP and want to protect my investment.Tent city OUT!

by Phil	03/16/07 10:18 AM
"But we have to protect people who invested in their home and their businesses in St. Petersburg. We have to do that." NO KIDDING. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT MY $13K PROPERTY TAXES....HOW ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THAT???

by Maggie	03/16/07 10:17 AM
According to some of the people posting it'd be ok for all of us to quit our jobs and be lazy while we diminsh the city's value. Great idea, let's al just move into a tent and expect somebody else to take care of us.

by Lisa	03/16/07 10:16 AM
If it weren't for codes and ordinances to protect those of us with an interest in property value you FL rednecks would have cars on blocks, boats on lawns, trash all over, & people camping out anywhere. The upper and middle class should be protected

by Phil	03/16/07 10:07 AM
Janet, I am one of the "taxpayers" you so despise. I'd like to know what EXACTLY you are doing to help. I have no problem trying to help people who arte down and out, but if they want our help they should be willing to cooperate.

by Ron	03/16/07 10:06 AM
Dump the Vice Mayors all together, they each make over 100K and take no responsibilities. Take the money and puchase a run down building on the fringe and make it homeless emergency only housing. Problem solved. Dump the 100K vice mayors!

Rules to ban tent cities

St. Petersburg responds to complaints about homeless camping out on sidewalks.