Longtime readers will know that we’ve covered homelessness extensively here at Charlottesville Tomorrow, and that while it may seem more visible these days, it’s not a new issue in our community.
During tonight’s City Council meeting, Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis will present to the Council an “Ordinance on Camping and Storage on City Property.” If adopted as-is, the ordinance would ban sleeping, camping and storing any belongings in public areas. (Read the full text of the proposed ordinance on the city’s website.)
Violation of the ordinance would be considered a Class 4 misdemeanor and punishable by a fine, Kochis wrote in his policy briefing summary on the ordinance. Neither the summary nor the accompanying City of Charlottesville Homeless Encampment Response Protocol say how much that fine would be for, or what will happen if someone is unable to, or does not, pay the fine…