Elmira elected officials tabled a proposed law to prohibit unauthorized campsites during a standing-room-only city council meeting Monday. Oftentimes, the campsites in question are created by people who are homeless.
Council members Nick Grasso and Corey Cooke discussed tabling the proposed law ahead of the city council meeting in an effort to take the time to draft a more comprehensive law and include discussions with community stakeholders.
Elmira native and current Southport Planning Board member, Liv Lovejoy, said to criminalize people who are unhoused is an awful start to any kind of solution.
“I would have preferred all ‘noes’ across the board, but I don't think that that was realistic,” said Lovejoy. “So, not one to pat too many backs, but I do appreciate Mr. Grasso for speaking up and for Corey Cooke as well, to represent their districts appropriately, and to say that there needs to be more public input on this decision before it's made.“
During public comment, which lasted for nearly an hour, community members filled the courthouse and stepped up to the microphone one after the other, pleading with the city to stop the law from moving forward.
“I just want to say that if you vote to criminalize homelessness, shame on you,” said Elmira resident Tanisha Logan-Lattimore. “We are all just one paycheck, one natural disaster away from being homeless. So what if that was you?”
“We can do a better job,” said Linda Couchon of Catholic Charities of Chemung/Schuyler counties. “There is no cure. It's complex, you know, there's no right or wrong. But I do feel criminalization is a punishment for people who don't have power.”
The law would have placed fines on people in unauthorized campsites of up to $1,000 and one year in jail, depending on the number of violations.
Council Member Gary Brinn, who co-sponsored the law with Elmira Mayor Daniel Mandell, said public safety is the city’s only tool to address homelessness. He criticized Chemung County, where Elmira is located, for “sitting on cash reserves” and not doing its part to help the city.
Brinn challenged the crowd to take their passion to the county legislature.
“You are here mobilized and angry,” said Brinn. “Will you be this mobilized and angry and present and outspoken before the county legislature, which, [for] my opinion, does absolutely nothing to further the interest of the city of Elmira? Will you go there and demand that they improve the services? That they provide Housing First options? Don't come up here and beat us up for things that we can't do and are not allowed to do.“
More than a dozen community members from the city council meeting went directly to the county legislature meeting, happening several blocks away from City Hall, and asked legislators to do more for the homeless in Elmira.
Mark Margeson, chair of the Chemung County Legislature, said he is open to working with Elmira officials to address a variety of issues.