Rvers beware

I remember decades ago, visiting Santa Monica and walking along the oceanfront park. The homeless had more or less claimed every bench or picnic table as their "home", creating tents/shelters, etc. I've heard that doing that has since been banned in Santa Monica; but I can see where other communities would like to nip that sort of thing in the bud, hence the ordinance.

And then there's this going on in Seattle where "entrepreneurs" buy old run down RVs at auction, park them on the street anywhere and rent them out by the night.

For anyone not familiar with the homeless situation in the Northwest, people are pitching tents pretty much where ever they want, and parking derelict RV's all over town.....Lacey isn't looking to arrest anyone coming home from Dicks with a new sleeping bag.

This is sooo not about big brother writing you a ticket for stopping in Lacey in your RV, but makes for good conversation for the conspiracy theorists.

JRscooby wrote:

Walaby wrote:
I read the law, and totally agree with it. Have no issues as written.

Several folks, including Mr youtube guy sure take it to a ridiculous level of interpretation.

Bedroll in backseat is not stored in public place? True. But if the car is parked on a public street?

You’re grasping for non-existent straws.

The inside of your vehicle is not a public place. In plain view, yes, but definitely private space. Otherwise there would be no need for consent to search.

RV daytrader wrote:
well shoot...If I was a homeless person I would camp there come the cold weather and let them jail me for 3 months...get a nice warm cell and 3 meals a day!

Bet you have not been homeless and trying to get out or in jail.

Walaby wrote:
I read the law, and totally agree with it. Have no issues as written.

Several folks, including Mr youtube guy sure take it to a ridiculous level of interpretation.

Highway pilot - the ordinance says store in a public place. Your car's trunk, or your RV, or the back seat of your car is not a public place. Good grief.. get ahold of yourself, and don't contribute to the conspiracy.

I don't think you really called the Lacey police or city attorney.

Mike

Bedroll in backseat is not stored in public place? True. But if the car is parked on a public street? Likely you are shopping, or eating, not camping, but if it is up to a cop to decide, it is scary to me. Most think all cops are good all the time. I have decided they are human, some good, some marginal. But some of the marginal, think because they have some power, nobody should question them, and this can lead to abuse of power.
Like most laws, a cop thinks you are in violation, you can defend yourself. If you prove you did not violate the law, there might still be a lot of expense, and it does not come out of the cop's pocket.

$1,000 fine, are you kidding me?
Why not make it a $10,000 fine?

Tvov wrote:
He was interpreting the ordinance as not allowing someone to have a sleeping bag in their car when driving around. I don't see that at all in the ordinance. He seems to be really stretching the "storage" part.

I agree. I don't believe it means you can't have a sleeping bag in your car. I think it means you can't leave your tent and other camping gear in a heap in a public park to use later on.

I hope our town never NEEDS to adopt this type of ordinance. I would not be happy with people setting up camp throughout town especially since we have about 5 campgrounds in the county.

-Michael

Deb and Ed M wrote:

Retired JSO wrote:


Washington State along with many other states and cities across the US are trying to keep the homeless quacks from setting up camp. Charleston SC had over 500 camped under I-26. These people are offered help, they refuse and they panhandle. Offer them shelter, they only accept when it’s cold. Offer them a job and they refuse. What’s also bad, some of these “Bums” are receiving SSI and others MIlitary retirement. I think it’s great to run these jerks away from public areas since they don’t want help.

I think, above all the reasons listed, the authorities are concerned with sanitation? That many people gathered with no bathroom facilities, is a health hazard, especially if they are camped near water. Or - if the homeless are gathered at a park in order to use a bathroom - it makes that park "unfriendly" for local families to visit. I think we will see more ordinances like the one cited. Kicking the can down the road to the next community doesn't solve the homeless problem, but it protects the local residents.

It's not just that, in this day & age even governments are being held accountable for actions, or in situations like this, lack of action.

All it would take is one person to be seriously injured, get sick from lack of sanitation, or heaven forbid, die, and the lawyers and bleeding-hearts would be all over it.

No level of government wants its taxpayers on the hook for something like that.

Retired JSO wrote:


Washington State along with many other states and cities across the US are trying to keep the homeless quacks from setting up camp. Charleston SC had over 500 camped under I-26. These people are offered help, they refuse and they panhandle. Offer them shelter, they only accept when it’s cold. Offer them a job and they refuse. What’s also bad, some of these “Bums” are receiving SSI and others MIlitary retirement. I think it’s great to run these jerks away from public areas since they don’t want help.

I think, above all the reasons listed, the authorities are concerned with sanitation? That many people gathered with no bathroom facilities, is a health hazard, especially if they are camped near water. Or - if the homeless are gathered at a park in order to use a bathroom - it makes that park "unfriendly" for local families to visit. I think we will see more ordinances like the one cited. Kicking the can down the road to the next community doesn't solve the homeless problem, but it protects the local residents.