NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Commissioners are prepared to once again consider a staff-recommended ordinance that would restrict the use of county-owned properties by…
NEW HANOVER COUNTY — A need to address the growing unsheltered population in the area could receive resources from two local government agencies. Next week…
In recent weeks, the New Hanover County Commission considered changing the local ordinance to allow law enforcement to impose fines on people who are homeless and who occupy county properties. The ordinance further permitted law enforcement to remove people from the area and impose criminal charges. To say I was disappointed with the NHC Commissioners for even considering such an approach is an understatement.
One justification provided was that this would further enable law enforcement to protect the public, as there were incidences of violence at the public library downtown, a location where people who are homeless are known to congregate. The problem is that laws already exist to enable law enforcement to address such issues. Whatever the spin, justification, or rationalization, this was nothing more than an attempt to criminalize being homeless. It is an example of how easy it is to obfuscate that objective and further marginalize vulnerable populations by tu
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