The voters in Morgantown, W.Va., refused on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (Getty Images)
The voters in Morgantown have narrowly rejected the abolition of a regulation that prohibits homeless people on the street and in other public areas.
The city voted on Tuesday from 982 to 904 for the non -revival of the camping ban. The election results are unofficially until a screen takes place on May 5, the city said in a press release.
The law, which is not yet in force, prohibits camping on public property – including roads, parks and paths – and also prohibits saving personal property in public areas. The second and third law against the law is punished with fines of $ 200 and 300 US dollars or 30 days in prison.
The Council passed the regulation in September. After that, the Morgantown coalition for housing construction campaigns successfully applied to lift them or set the ballot paper. The council decided to put it on the ballot paper instead of lifting it.
Proponents of the law said that homeless people who sleep in public areas are a health and security problem.
The city councilor Louise “Wertz” Michael, who proposed the regulation, said in a statement on Wednesday that she estimated the trust of the community by supporting the regulation.
“This decision reflects our commitment to maintaining public security and improving the quality of life of all residents,” she said. “We are still obliged to work with various stakeholders to ensure that our guidelines are effective and compassionate, which meets the needs of both our unshakable population and the wider community.”
Opponents of the laws say that camping bans do nothing to tackle the causes of homelessness, and it can make it worse by initiating fines and punishing criminal punishments that make it more complex for people to get into housing.
They also point out that the city does not have enough resources for homeless people who want to have protection. Morgantown has 54 annual emergency accommodations and another 21 beds if the Winterheim is open-not enough to accommodate the 100 homeless people who were identified during the number of times 2024.
City Councilor Brian Butcher, a provider of homeless, said on Wednesday that he was very disappointed with the election results.
“[I’m] I hope that people who said this would make them create more resources that actually do that now, ”he said in an SMS.
Dozens of cities across the country have banned public camping after the Supreme Court of the United States has confirmed a similar camping ban from Grants in Oregon in the middle of homelessness.
Del. Del. Geno Chiarelli, a Republican who represents Monongolia County, a draft law that would have implemented a camping ban nationwide. The law was passed in the Delegate House, but not in the Senate.
“I was delighted, but not surprised to see how Morgantown spoke the voters in the election torrent yesterday to obtain a ban on people who use our public property as a camp locations,” said Chiarelli in a statement on Wednesday. “I know that this is an important security problem in other parts of the state. That is why I plan to present my law on the ban on urban camping next year during the regular legislative period.”
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