PHOENIX — A partial ban on street camping in Phoenix is moving forward after the amendment to the city's camping ordinance passed out of subcommittee Wednesday.
The amendment would ban camping within 500 feet of schools, child care centers and shelters.
"We need to spend resources on this," Councilmember Jim Waring, representing District 2, said. "But we also need people to be incentivized to help themselves.
Phoenix's Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee voted 3 to 1 to send the proposed amendment to the full nine-person council for discussion and vote, a date for that has not yet been set.
Councilmember Betty Guardado opposed the change.
"Instead of us sitting here pretending that we're doing something, we should actually do something that's going to have like a real impact on the community, not just moving the problem 500 feet," Guardado, who represents District 5, said.
Councilmember Ann O'Brien told 12News she wanted to bring the change to Phoenix following San Diego implementation of a similar measure last year.
"I think in some cases, I can see what she's (Guardado) is saying about that. But in Phoenix, we will not just be going in and enforcing this, you know, right off the bat. We will always lead with information, education and services," O'Brien said.
Among three people who spoke about the issue during public comment was Elizabeth Venable, the lead organizer for Fund For Empowerment, an advocacy group.
"They essentially move people from place to place, threaten them with criminal citations and or cite them," Venable said.
The ACLU of Arizona filed a lawsuit on behalf of Fund For Empowerment and others against the City of Phoenix over homeless sweeps and citations.
"So even if this ordinance were to pass, and go into effect, it is possible that any kind of enforcement of it would violate this injunction that’s in place in our federal litigation," Jared Keenan, legal director for the ACLU of Arizona, said.
A preliminary injunction in that case is keeping Phoenix police from citing people who are unsheltered for camping if there's not a shelter bed or other public space available. That was decided based upon a previous case that's going before the U.S. Supreme Court this year.
Those questions also came up from councilmembers, and O'Brien told 12News it will likely be further discussed in executive session ahead of a full council vote.
"Protecting the community of the City of Phoenix doesn't come from moving people 500 feet, it comes from stabilizing people so that they aren't forced to live desperately," Venable said.
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