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Sitting or lying on public sidewalks and sleeping outdoors in downtown Shawnee, Oklahoma is now prohibited. The ordinance was passed Monday to prevent homeless people from occupying space near local businesses.
The decision has been met with opposition from some residents. “There’s a lot of good ones, there’s a lot of veterans. Anybody could be down on their luck,” stated a citizen during public comment at Monday’s meeting. Another said that the push to limit the presence of the homeless is “deeply concerning and lacks humanity.”
Others participated in public comment to voice their support of the proposition. “This is for a specific area and I would like to see this amendment address the entire city,” one resident stated.
City Manager Andrea Weckmueller-Behringer stated that there’s been communication with the police department about the ordinance. They believe it provides a clear guideline on what the police can enforce compared to the state laws on trespassing.
Ultimately, it passed in 6-1 vote, with Ward 6 Commissioner Lauren Richter voting against.
Fines and Homelessness Management
There will be a fine of $10 for defying the ordinance. If an individual is not able to pay they will have to perform community service. It will affect only the downtown area of Shawnee in the hope that it will revitalize the shopping district.
An ordinance passed in Nov. that requires permits to feed unhoused people in the city. Commissioners stated that this ordinance was in the hope that it would lessen litter in downtown. There is now a fine of $25o for feeding the homeless without a permit.
Shawnee lacks a city-funded overnight shelter. Instead they have the Homeless Resource Center, which operates during the day. They offer case management, job services, and housing assistance. Some churches temporarily serve as overnight shelters. Additionally, the local Salvation Army offers housing assistance and shelter.
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Statewide Attacks on Homelessness
There have been attempts to impede on the lives of homeless people across the state. In 2015, Oklahoma City passed an ordinance prohibiting panhandling in roadway medians. The District Court overturned it for imposing on First Amendment rights. Judge Joe Heaton ordered the city to pay nearly $1 million in legal fees to the opposition group that sued the city over the ordinance.
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum supports bans on placing tents on public sidewalks and setting up campfires in public parks. In August he presented a plan to the city council that would require law enforcement officers to enforce ordinances equally despite a person’s housing status.
State Statistics of Homelessness
In 2022, Oklahoma’s homeless population was around 3,750. The majority of people who experience homelessness are in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
The main obstacle for people facing homelessness is monthly income. The minimum wage in Oklahoma is $7.25, however, the average rate needed to afford rent in OKC is $15.42. A person making minimum wage would need to work 71 hours a week to afford an average one-bedroom apartment.
The majority of those who are chronically homeless have a severe mental illness or physical disability.
At Monday’s meeting Ward 1 Commissioner Daniel Matthews stated, “The bad policy at the federal and even state level rolls downhill and leaves communities to deal with it.”
Federal housing assistance is one of the most successful policies that relieves the burdens of being unhoused. Until there are federal programs that can achieve this, smaller communities hold the greatest responsibility.