The Des Moines ban on public encampments is officially enforceable as of Monday this week. People experiencing homelessness — people camping on the streets of Des Moines — can now be fined $15, charged with a misdemeanor, and/or arrested if they resist.
Last September, the city passed two ordinances, one that bans camping on public property and one that shortens encampment cleanup notice times from 10 days to three. The ordinances were met with public backlash, as people cried, “Shame!” when the city council passed the vote.
The ACLU of Iowa issued a statement that derided the ordinance, saying that people experiencing homelessness do not have the resources to appear in court to contest fines, and don’t have the bandwidth to prove that they have nowhere else to go when the shelters are full.
“These are people who often don't have a mailing address or even a phone. And the idea that homeless people, who struggle just to eat, can afford that fine, even a $15 fine, is nonsensical,” wrote the ACLU.
Councilmember Chris Coleman said that the city does not intend to issue fines, but if people resist moving, then the police can issue a citation.
“Our primary focus is trying to keep our public areas safe. The city has spent a lot of resources so they’re a clean, safe and beautiful place for our citizens to recreate, to use and to enjoy,” Coleman said.
Outreach workers from the nonprofit Primary Health Care (PHC) will visit encampments downtown and encourage people to utilize resources and shelters. Police officers will not join the outreach team unless called.
Full enforcement begins as the city council makes progress on their 10 homelessness initiatives:
1. Working with shelter operators to reduce barriers
“I monitor the capacity, the census of the shelters, and we feel good that we can handle the current population that that might be interested in coming to live at the shelters,” Coleman said.
IPR reported in September that Central Iowa Services and Shelters (CISS) currently has 150 emergency shelter beds, but shelters 190 people every night through overflow.
The PHC waitlist for housing had at least 750 people in September. Only about 15% of people on the waiting list will be referred to a program.
2. Partnering with the Animal Rescue League (ARL)
Individuals seeking emergency shelter can ask the ARL to shelter their pets for up to eight days. Coleman said the program is voluntary and that people would be able to get their pets back when they decide to.
3. Storage options for people experiencing homelessness
The municipal services center will serve as storage for belongings. Either an individual can ask for their items to be stored, or the city will determine what is valuable from an abandoned encampment, Coleman said.
4. Transportation from campsites to emergency shelter
PHC will provide transportation for people experiencing homelessness to an emergency shelter.
5. Adding public restrooms in city parking garages
Two new bathrooms have been added downtown. One set is at the southwest corner of 3rd St. and Court Ave., and the other set is at the southwest corner of 5th Ave. and Walnut St. Both sets are cleaned weekly.
6. Providing four outreach workers through PHC
Three outreach members are currently active, and the last is expected to be active by mid-March.
“We're lucky that in Des Moines, the population of unsheltered, those that live on the street is a small enough population that we can really help them,” Coleman said. “One of the nice things about being in Des Moines, we find a way to solve the problems that we have, and we want to help people. I don't want anybody to disappear into the darkness.”
7. Hiring a hearing officer to hear appeals
The city is still hiring for a hearing officer in order to streamline the process of appeals.
8. $50,000 Housing Problem Solving Fund
The fund will come out of the current budget, not the budget projected for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. The fund can be used to cover utility costs and rental assistance for those who lost access to their apartments.
9. Research “non-congregate shelter”
The city is looking into building “pallet shelters” to temporarily house those experiencing homelessness. However, residents near the proposed site —Chesterfield Community Center — have opposed the project, citing safety concerns.
10. Amending zoning code to allow churches to provide services
Initial conversations between the city and faith leaders may allow churches to expand their services for people experiencing homelessness.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story stated that two outreach workers are active. The story has been updated to show that there are three.
