The Birmingham City Council is considering adopting a policy setting rules for clearing out homeless encampments on public property.
A version of a proposed ordinance presented to councilors last week would allow the city to give 48 hours written notice to people living on public spaces such as parks and rights of way before they were removed and would allow quicker action in priority or emergency situations.
“We also want to ensure that our unhoused are directed to the appropriate resources and the appropriate housing options for them,” Alanah L. Melton, director of unhoused strategies for the city, told councilors during a Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday. “Our public infrastructure is just not appropriate housing, thus this public camping ordinance is born.”…