The Washington Post, Nov 7, 2019: Las Vegas Bans The Homeless From Sleeping On Some Streets. Critics Call It A ‘War On The Poor.’
Amid protests and boos, the Las Vegas City Council voted Wednesday to ban homeless people from sleeping on some city streets — a controversial measure that critics have called a “war on the poor.”
The new ordinance, passed at a contentious council meeting, makes it a misdemeanor for homeless people to camp or sleep on the streets if beds at established shelters are available. The new restrictions would apply to certain parts of the city’s downtown area, not the Las Vegas Strip, Reno Gazette Journal reported.
Officials argued the legislation was “aimed at getting the city’s homeless population off the streets and connected with services,” Fox 5 reported. But Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I), a sponsor of the bill, and the City Council faced a raucous demonstration from activists as the law passed 5-2.
