Stay Awake or Go to Jail
Newark City Council says they want to make the city safer by enacting a camping ban. Unhoused people have safety concerns of their own.
The Newark City Council enacted a camping ban on public property at their meeting Oct. 21, 2024, by a vote of 7-1.
The ordinance is the second such law in Ohio following the Supreme Court Grants Pass decision on June 28, 2024, ruling that local governments can penalize people for sleeping in public and private locations.
"I understand, they don't want them on public property camping. I understand, they don't want them on private property camping. So that doesn't leave much. So that leaves the next solution, jail. And I just can't accept that as choice C." Bill Cost, City Council member, speaking against the ordinance.
"I understand, they don't want them on public property camping. I understand, they don't want them on private property camping. So that doesn't leave much. So that leaves the next solution, jail. And I just can't accept that as choice C." Bill Cost, City Council member, speaking against the ordinance.
In her dissenting opinion, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that the majority decision considered the needs of cities, but it did not consider the needs of the most vulnerable citizens of those cities, who in some cases will literally have to choose between staying awake or going to jail.
The Newark City Council passed this ordinance not long after a homeless camp was destroyed off of Second Street.
For this episode of This Is Ohio, we visit the Newark Homeless Outreach to learn how the unsheltered are reacting to recent news.
A sign donated to the Newark Homeless Outreach. Photo by Doug Swift.
A sign donated to the Newark Homeless Outreach. Photo by Doug Swift.
Doug Swift and Jack Shuler write for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.
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