City Of Las Vegas Takes First Step To Ban Homeless Encampments

LAS VEGAS, NV. (THECOUNT) — The Las Vegas City Council is considering an ordinance that would ban homeless encampments in a variety of public areas throughout the city, according to Thursday reports.

Las Vegas City Council officials announced Wednesday that the first reading of the ordinance will be Oct. 2, but will not be open for public discussion or action until Oct. 14.

Officials said the ordinance is “aimed at getting the city’s homeless population off the streets and connected with services,” reports Fox5.

The ordinance would make it a misdemeanor “to camp or sleep in the public right-of-way, such as a sidewalk, in the downtown and in residential areas” if space is available at area homeless shelters, such as the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center.

If all spaces are full at local shelters, the ordinance would not be enforced for that time period, the city said in a release.

If the ordinance is approved, law enforcement would be able to notify individuals of the citation and suggest local services such as shelters.

“The city of Las Vegas is committed to helping connect homeless individuals and families with needed services to help them break the cycle of homelessness,” the release said.

City officials said more than 28,000 requests for services have been taken since the Courtyard opened August 2017.

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Geo quick facts: Las Vegas, officially the City of Las Vegas and often known simply as Vegas, is the 28th-most populated city in the United States, the most populated city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. Nevada is a western U.S. state defined by its great expanses of desert, and by the 24-hour casinos and entertainment for which its largest city, Las Vegas, is famed. Las Vegas is home to elaborate theme hotels and luxury resorts that line its main thoroughfare, the Las Vegas Strip. The city’s also home to museums such as the Mob Museum, extravagant live shows and upscale shopping malls and restaurants – Wikipedia.