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ABQ City Council passes measures further restricting overnight camping in public spaces
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Two of three proposed measures aimed at restricting overnight camping in public spaces and the use of public parks by unhoused individuals passed the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 City Council in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Councilor Ren茅e Grout, who introduced the trio of ordinances, withdrew a 鈥淪hopping Cart Abandonment Prevention Ordinance鈥� after facing concerns and pushback from the mayor鈥檚 administration and fellow councilors.
The two ordinances approved are the 鈥淧arks Ordinance,鈥� which looks to address littering, vandalism and the 鈥渕isuse of park facilities,鈥� and the 鈥淩evised Ordinances of sa国际传媒官网网页入口: Public Camping,鈥� which bans camping on streets and sidewalks and 鈥渞educe(s) the negative impacts encampments often have on neighborhoods,鈥� according to a City Council news release.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 very sad to leave someone on the street, I do,鈥� Grout said before a lengthy discussion on the bills began. 鈥淟eaving them in a tent and then giving them a sleeping bag and then walking away from them is very hard. I think it鈥檚 sad.鈥�
The measures were a response to constituents鈥� complaints about unhoused people camping in parks and fears of children encountering needles, according to Grout.
鈥淧eople are sometimes afraid of these people,鈥� Grout said. 鈥淪ometimes they 鈥� in one specific park I鈥檓 talking about 鈥� take over the area right next to the playground equipment. They take it; they鈥檙e very possessive. It鈥檚 true. That鈥檚 why people have sent emails, they have called me, and it鈥檚 important that we listen to them.鈥�
The measures faced significant opposition from activists who voiced concerns during public comments, stating the ordinances would further criminalize homelessness and make it harder for unhoused individuals to stay warm during the winter. A small number of commenters spoke in favor of the ordinances.
The ordinances received numerous proposed amendments, with a majority 鈥� nine total 鈥� coming from Councilor Tammy Fiebelkorn. Some changes were made with guidance from the city鈥檚 Parks and Recreation Department.
鈥淚 just heard Councilor Grout say that she worked with the parks department,鈥� Fiebelkorn said. 鈥淚鈥檇 like to know if that means the administration supports this bill.鈥�
Mayor Tim Keller鈥檚 Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Matthew Whelan, tasked with answering the question, did not give a direct yes or no.
鈥淭here were some areas that were problematic that we didn鈥檛 see that would probably be best if they were changed,鈥� Whelan said. 鈥淏ut we just worked on a minimal part of the bill.鈥�
鈥淪o I think 鈥榥o鈥� was the answer?鈥� Fiebelkorn said.
The park ordinance passed on a 6-3 vote, with Councilors Grout, Louie Sanchez, Dan Lewis, Dan Champine, Joaqu铆n Baca and Brook Bassan voting in favor; and Klarissa Pe帽a, Nichole Rogers and Fiebelkorn voting against.
The camping ordinance passed 5-4, with Baca joining Pe帽a, Rogers, and Fiebelkorn in opposition.
The ordinances come on the heels of a recently revised encampment policy from the Keller administration that includes parks as one of the primary targets for encampment clearings.
