Mayor Lisa Brown released the following statement on the City Council’s motion to defer the Engagement and Enforcement proposal:
“I am grateful that the City Council passed two of three ordinances in our legislative package – these are important steps forward. H.O.M.E. Starts Here is now our guiding plan to focus on how to best achieve housing stability, reduce and prevent homelessness, and ensure public health and safety. The Inclement Weather, Siting, and Good Neighbor ordinance also codifies best practices for siting and activating inclement weather centers, as well as emergency and transitional housing facilities.
“The deferral of the Engagement and Enforcement ordinance does not change our commitment to moving forward on an effective and balanced approach. The status quo isn’t working – it's just shifting people from one place to another rather than helping them find stability. We need a citywide ordinance that effectively engages and navigates people to services and housing, while also including an enforcement mechanism to restrict unauthorized camping and obstruction of the public right-of-way.
“We are still on the path toward our goal of enhanced community safety, and we will keep working until we get this right.”
