(The Center Square) – As cities around the country shift toward enforcing camping bans to essentially outlaw homelessness, a proposal from Spokane Valley could provide a new, one-of-a-kind approach.
The proposal followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson , which reversed the precedent that restricted cities from enforcing anti-camping ordinances. While Spokane Valley’s camping ban still needs an update to reflect the change, one council member is calling for a new approach to take matters a step further.
Councilmember Al Merkel issued a press release on Friday proposing a “mobile justice service” for “on-the-spot adjudication.” However, there are still questions over the legality of such a program, which will require time to resolve and possible tweaks from the city council.
“I would like to hear your thoughts and criticisms, as well as alternative plans,” Merkel wrote in the release. “This is a draft plan and needs a lot of work. After we get some responses, I will put together a poll to gather more direction.”