Des Moines recently added portable restrooms to downtown streets and is evaluating whether to turn some into permanent facilities.
State of play: The bathrooms are primarily intended to serve people experiencing homelessness.
- The move was prompted by City Council’s approval of camping and outdoor sleeping bans this week and could impact whether the ordinances work to reduce the number of unhoused people in Polk County.
Why it matters: A lack of facilities contributes to unsanitary conditions that can spread disease, leaving cities like San Diego dealing with Hepatitis A outbreaks in recent years.
- Bathroom inaccessibility can also lead to poor hygiene and a loss of opportunities for unhoused people, human rights advocacy groups say.
Driving the news: Two portable bathroom sites, which are open to everyone, were added at Third Street and Court Avenue as well as Fifth and Walnut streets prior to Monday’s vote.
- They’re test sites that could lead to additional facilities in other locations, city manager Scott Sanders tells Axios.