It looks like Miami Beach has passed a regulation that allows officials to apprehend homeless people who refuse to be put in a shelter, reports the New York Post. The law was passed by the Miami Beach City Commissioner on Wednesday following a debate between objectors and supporters of the bill. Kristen Gonzalez, a commissioner who argued in favor of the law, revealed that residents aren’t able to visit local parks due to them being occupied by homeless locals.
The commissioner said,
“These are people that we see selling drugs, having sex outdoors, naked…There’s defecation, there’s masturbation in front of our children in parks, open containers and parties, and screaming. They’re harassing and they are stabbing. And they are refusing any services”
She continued,
“We want to help people… But if people don’t want to help themselves, the state and federal government have given us no option except for this ordinance.”
The Post reported that Mayor Dan Gelber supported the law and revealed that the city spends $7.5 million per year on multiple services for the community’s homeless residents, which is around 150.
While some local officials agreed with the law, other individuals opposed it. Matthew Marr, a sociology associate professor at Florida International University said the new law
“criminalized”
homelessness.
“Arresting people for being unsheltered will just saddle them with more barriers to obtain housing. Being arrested can be traumatic,”
he said.
Kat Duesterhaus, a local activist, argued that the newly implemented law was discriminatory as most of the homeless residents were black.
Duesterhaus said,
“This ordinance is cruel, racist and harmful.”
#Cliaue, what are your thoughts?
