The city of Las Vegas has approved a law that prohibits the homeless from camping in large swaths of the city. The measure provoked the opposition on most of the public in attendance at a City Council hearing this week.
"In an attempt to address homelessness, the Las Vegas City Council approved 5-2 a controversial ordinance Wednesday that will ban camping, sleeping and similar activities throughout downtown and in residential areas," reports Miranda Wilson.
The new law, proposed by Mayor Carolyn Goodman, "will make it a misdemeanor to rest, sleep, lie down, use a blanket, camp or 'lodge' in public rights of way adjacent to residential properties, in 12 downtown-area districts, or within 500 feet of a food processing facility. "
The new law in Las Vegas recalls a similar law under consideration in Los Angeles, which would "ban sleeping on streets and sidewalks within 500 feet of schools, parks, day-care facilities and some popular venues," according to a Los Angeles Times article published in September.
Supporters of the Las Vegas law insist that the intention of the prohibition is not to prosecute the homeless, but to connect homeless residents with support services. Still, the approval met boisterous opposition from the public during the council's hearing on the law this week.
Additional coverage for the City Council decision is provided by Shea Johnson and Briana Erickson.
No mention in either article is made of the decision in Martin v. City of Boise (potentially headed to the Supreme Court) that requires cities that ban sleeping in public to have enough shelter space to house the homeless population.
FULL STORY: Following tense meeting, Las Vegas council approves homeless ordinance
Los Angeles Could Broaden Homeless Sleeping Prohibition to a Quarter of the City
There won't be many places left to sleep for the massive population of homeless living in the city of Los Angeles.
Cities Still Sweeping Away Homeless Camps, Despite Legal Challenges
Denver and Los Angeles kicked the new year off by committing to the enforcement of a sleeping ban and sweeping away a large homeless encampment, respectively.
Late Action, Local Opposition Frustrate Emergency Homeless Shelter Plans
Some progress, but not nearly enough, has been reported as California and its cities scramble to procure temporary shelters to house homeless people during the pandemic.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association