Neenah passes ordinance that will impact homeless population
NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – On Wednesday night, Neenah common council unanimously approved an ordinance that would prohibit camping on most city property and right-of-ways.
This new ordinance will likely have the greatest impact on the city’s homeless population.
According to a memo from city attorneys, Neenah police have responded to many complaints about individuals experiencing homelessness setting up camps too close to busy roadways. A police spokesperson told Local 5 News that the 900 block of south Green Bay Road and south Commercial Street are two of the areas where they’ve received these complaints.
Several people attended the common council meeting on Wednesday night to speak out against the ordinance.
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“I want you all to consider more compassion, what is the better way to deal with people who are homeless in Neenah other than just shooing them away and say go somewhere else,” said Bill Van Lapik.
He pointed out that many of us are one accident, fire, divorce, or layoff away from finding ourselves in a situation where we don’t have a place to live.
“There are other solutions, other cities have tackled it,” said Lapik.
“The people who are at their lowest do not need to be kicked out when they’re down what we can’t do is bully the weakest of us,’ said Neenah resident Rosemary McCarthy. “Targeting these people does nothing to solve our problems and frankly it doesn’t feel very Wisconsin of us.”
‘The ordinance itself does nothing to address the issue, it asks the issue to please stay out of sight,” said Sara Kosmicki. “It asks people who are experiencing homelessness to experience it somewhere where we don’t have to look at it.”
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“This ordinance does nothing to help and it only makes life more difficult for people who are already struggling the most,” said TJ Hobbs in a statement to Local 5 News. “Have some empathy. Let them park in the public places that we all pay for, and at least leave them alone if you aren’t going to help them.”
Those who violate the ordinance won’t face criminal charges. During the meeting one of the alders did read a letter sent in by a constituent who was in favor of the ordinance.
“The best way to show true compassion is to not allow the encampments, allowing the encampments leads to a dangerous and unhealthy situation for the homeless” the constituent wrote in the letter. “Troubled folks can be directed to the several facilities available in our area so they can get the right help, as opposed to handouts.”
Prior to the vote, Local 5 News spoke with Lisa Standberg who is the executive director of Pillars, a homeless services shelter in Appleton. She said that regardless of whether the ordinance passed community leaders need to have more conversations about how to address homelessness in the Fox Valley.
“The issue of homelessness is complex and what is going to solve it is more housing,” she said. “I look forward to collaborating with our partners at the city of Neenah to get creative together (to find solutions).”
She said the cost of living right now has caused more people in the Fox Valley to experience homelessness.
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“It may be that we see more folks (if the ordinance passes) and we’ll be ready to serve them if we do,” said Strandberg.
In Neenah, the mayor doesn’t vote on ordinances like this unless they’re needed to break the tie. Neenah mayor Jane Lang said she understood the perspectives of both those who support and oppose the ordinance.
“I certainly have compassion for the homeless and it’s a very difficult issue and it’s a very difficult issue for all communities,” she said. “We’re definitely not trying to target people who are homeless or down on their luck, we want to help you, we want to do all we can.”
Common council also passed an ordinance that would prohibit outdoor cooking in city right-of-ways.
