The Miami City Commission passed an ordinance Thursday that will allow city police to more quickly arrest people camping on the streets, a major step toward formalizing a policy change that homeless advocates have decried as draconian and ineffective.
Proposed by Commissioner Rolando Escalona, whose district includes parts of Little Havana and Brickell, the new ordinance scraps the requirements that Miami police issue written warnings and give people who violate a ban on “camping” 24 hours to move their belongings before making an arrest. It also eliminates officers’ option to issue a citation in those circumstances.
Escalona has said his proposal, first made public earlier this month, intends to connect homeless people with resources while keeping the community safe and clean. Under the change, police can only make arrests if the officer has verified a shelter bed is available, offered it to the person, and the person has refused it.
An earlier version of the proposal drew backlash from community advocates because it didn’t require police to issue any warning — verbal or otherwise — or provide the person with time to pack their belongings…