Fall River’s proposed unauthorized camping ordinance targets growing homeless problem

The Fall River City Council this week took up a proposed ordinance that addresses the growing homeless encampment problem in the city.

Due to the failure of our state and federal governments, the burden of handling the growing homeless problem is falling on local governments ill-equipped or trained to handle the problem. High inflation, a low supply of new housing and stagnant wage growth has pushed thousands of people to become homeless or on the brink of it.

The Massachusetts emergency shelter system is mostly full of migrants restricted to families or women with children (after two years they did finally give veterans access) so the majority of newly homeless individuals don’t qualify, many choosing to live in the woods.

Let’s take look at the text of Fall River’s proposed ordinance. It passed the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation unanimously.

It was passed as an emergency public health and safety measure.

Here is a look at the text that provides key definitions and the penalties for unauthorized camping and urinating/defecating in public.

The ordinance doesn’t criminalize unauthorized camping, but it does allow the city to collect and destroy unauthorized camp sites.

The ordinance was sent back to the Committee on Ordinances and Legislation for further revisions and calcification. The next committee meeting is scheduled for September 24, 2024.