Des Moines City Council is attempting to criminalize homelessness by instituting $50 fines to anyone found sleeping outside and shortening the notice given prior to destroying camps.
Updates:
Monday, September 16th
At the 9/16 City Council meeting, a majority of council voted to approve both ordinances to criminalize homelessness. Council members who voted in favor of the ordinances include:
Mayor Connie Boesen
Carl Voss
Chris Coleman
Linda Westergaard
Joe Gatto
This fight is far from over. We must join together to care for and fight for our unhoused neighbors. Some ways you can do this:
Contact DSM City Council to demand they create a 24/7 warming/cooling center for the public
Donate funds or supplies to DSM Mutual Aid
Donate clothing and other supplies to a community closet
Volunteer with a trusted community organization
Anyone cited or arrested under the new ordinances can request free legal support from Ben Lynch Law
City Council Members in Support of the Proposals
Connie Boesen - Mayor
connieboesen@dmgov.org 515.283.4944 515.240.7929
Carl Voss - At Large
carlvoss@dmgov.org 515.210.0237
Chris Coleman - Ward 1
chriscoleman@dmgov.org 515.202.8845
Linda Westergaard - Ward 2
Joe Gatto - Ward 4
joegatto@dmgov.org 515.402.2626
Scott Sanders - City Manager who wrote the proposals
What others are saying:
Open letter from ACLU of Iowa to Des Moines City Council
“Punishing homeless people with fines for sleeping is ineffective and inhumane. It only prolongs people’s homelessness. Issuing fines that unhoused people couldn’t possibly afford, or “removing” them1 for sleeping outside when they have nowhere else to go is cruel. It runs afoul of basic human dignity. It does not help homeless persons get access to the resources they need to find housing and will only raise further barriers to housing by criminalizing and fining persons for simply sleeping in public. While homelessness is a real issue in Des Moines, simply trying to remove people from public view is not the solution.”
Letter from the Des Moines Register Editorial Board
“After voting down a transitional housing project, the City Council should forget about fining homeless residents and tell us how they can find places to live.”