HAPPENING FRIDAY: New ordinance geared to the homeless takes effect
A new ordinance is taking effect in Salinas on Friday. It will give clearer guidelines on when homeless can be setup on the streets and when they cant.
This ordinance is intended to strike a balance between letting the homeless camp out and making sure areas are presentable when local businesses open up each morning. Salinas City leaders said they recognize that until the housing crisis is solved, homeless men and women need a place to sleep. So under this new ordinance, they will be allowed to sleep on city sidewalks, the sort of thing we see in Chinatown. However, there is a catch. They can set up camp at 7 p.m., but each morning by 7 a.m. their stuff needs to be packed up and cleared out.
“The fact that people will be forced to move everyday, we will get smaller camps, which create less trash and less public health hazards. If we can get people into the mindset of camping lighter that will be a positive thing for everyone,” said Asst. Public Works Director, Don Reynolds.
In Chinatown there are tarps and pallets and some people have multiple shopping carts. They’ve really set up shop, if you will. That is what the city wants to steer away from. As temperatures start to drop, the good news is, the warming shelter on West Alisal is set to open this December.
