ALERT: Aurora, CO anti-loitering law set to pass Mon 10-26 FWD
Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Sun, 25 Oct 1998 22:17:42 -0400
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
http://www.denverpost.com/news/news1024d.htm
FWD Denver Post Online News - Oct. 24, 1998
AURORA SET TO ENACT ANTI-LOITERING LAW
By Cindy Brovsky - Denver Post Staff Writer
Oct. 24 - AURORA - City Councilwoman Nadine Caldwell grew up in a poor
family with a divorced mother who raised three children. So when Caldwell
heard people say the city's proposed anti-loitering law targeting East
Colfax Avenue was "mean-spirited'' toward the homeless, she laughed.
"These people could get a job if they wanted to,'' Caldwell said. "I'm
holding down two jobs and working my fanny off. To say this is
mean-spirited is crazy.''
Caldwell's colleagues on the city council agree, and on Monday are expected
to approve the metro area's strictest restrictions on loitering and
aggressive begging.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the vote is unanimous,'' said Mayor Paul Tauer.
"While there's not a big problem right now, we need to pass this so there
won't be a major problem in the future.''
The law would make it illegal for anyone to loiter between 7 a.m. and 9
p.m. anywhere along the East Colfax Avenue corridor. Police could stop
people from sitting, kneeling or lying on sidewalks or streets unless they
are ill. Police also could cite people for "aggressive begging,'' which
would include touching, following or using threatening language.
The law was patterned after similar ordinances in Seattle and California,
which have been upheld as constitutional in the courts.
"It's just one more way for the cops to hassle us poor people,'' said
Danny, a homeless man who declined to give his last name. "Hey, if people
don't want to help me out, I leave them alone. But sometimes giving me a
dollar or two makes them feel better. What's wrong with that?''
There's been no local organized opposition to the proposal, but state
groups have spoken out against it.
Mark Silverstein, legal director for the Colorado office of the American
Civil Liberties Union, said the city's proposal is a "human street
sweeping'' law and "a mean-spirited attempt to get these people off the
streets.''
Jack Real of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless said the law "unfairly
targets the poor and homeless in an attempt to "sanitize' our cities.''
But council members say efforts to revitalize East Colfax, including
regular prostitution stings, are needed to improve the area for residents,
businesses and visitors.
"It is not fair to say the city is attempting to drive the homeless out of
Aurora,'' Tauer said. "We have programs for the homeless . . . We just
don't want the loitering to get out of hand.''
Caldwell and Councilwoman Barb Cleland proposed the law this summer. Both
fear the new Fletcher Plaza - an amphitheater that cost $500,000 to build -
will become a homeless hang-out. "At first, there were just two or three
people on the plazas asking for money,'' Caldwell said. "That's grown to
nearly a dozen who hang around and hit you up every time they see you.''
North Aurora business owners have been split on whether a new law is
needed. Some say the police foot patrol already addresses problems, but
others have had people come into stores and beg customers for money.
Council members Ed Tauer and Edna Mosley said they will keep a close eye on
enforcement.
"If we hear of any cases of abuse, we won't tolerate that,'' Ed Tauer said.
END FORWARD
** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is
distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. **
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Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii"
http://www.denverpost.com/news/news1024d.htm
FWD Denver Post Online News - Oct. 24, 1998
<paraindent><param>right,left</param>AURORA SET TO ENACT ANTI-LOITERING
LAW
By Cindy Brovsky - Denver Post Staff Writer
</paraindent>
Oct. 24 - AURORA - City Councilwoman Nadine Caldwell grew up in a poor
family with a divorced mother who raised three children. So when
Caldwell heard people say the city's proposed anti-loitering law
targeting East Colfax Avenue was "mean-spirited'' toward the homeless,
she laughed.
"These people could get a job if they wanted to,'' Caldwell said. "I'm
holding down two jobs and working my fanny off. To say this is
mean-spirited is crazy.''
Caldwell's colleagues on the city council agree, and on Monday are
expected to approve the metro area's strictest restrictions on
loitering and aggressive begging.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the vote is unanimous,'' said Mayor Paul
Tauer. "While there's not a big problem right now, we need to pass this
so there won't be a major problem in the future.''
The law would make it illegal for anyone to loiter between 7 a.m. and 9
p.m. anywhere along the East Colfax Avenue corridor. Police could stop
people from sitting, kneeling or lying on sidewalks or streets unless
they are ill. Police also could cite people for "aggressive begging,''
which would include touching, following or using threatening language.
The law was patterned after similar ordinances in Seattle and
California, which have been upheld as constitutional in the courts.
"It's just one more way for the cops to hassle us poor people,'' said
Danny, a homeless man who declined to give his last name. "Hey, if
people don't want to help me out, I leave them alone. But sometimes
giving me a dollar or two makes them feel better. What's wrong with
that?''
There's been no local organized opposition to the proposal, but state
groups have spoken out against it.
Mark Silverstein, legal director for the Colorado office of the
American Civil Liberties Union, said the city's proposal is a "human
street sweeping'' law and "a mean-spirited attempt to get these people
off the streets.''
Jack Real of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless said the law
"unfairly targets the poor and homeless in an attempt to "sanitize' our
cities.''
But council members say efforts to revitalize East Colfax, including
regular prostitution stings, are needed to improve the area for
residents, businesses and visitors.
"It is not fair to say the city is attempting to drive the homeless out
of Aurora,'' Tauer said. "We have programs for the homeless . . . We
just don't want the loitering to get out of hand.''
Caldwell and Councilwoman Barb Cleland proposed the law this summer.
Both fear the new Fletcher Plaza - an amphitheater that cost $500,000
to build - will become a homeless hang-out. "At first, there were just
two or three people on the plazas asking for money,'' Caldwell said.
"That's grown to nearly a dozen who hang around and hit you up every
time they see you.''
North Aurora business owners have been split on whether a new law is
needed. Some say the police foot patrol already addresses problems, but
others have had people come into stores and beg customers for money.
Council members Ed Tauer and Edna Mosley said they will keep a close
eye on enforcement.
"If we hear of any cases of abuse, we won't tolerate that,'' Ed Tauer
said.
END FORWARD
** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. **
HOMELESS PEOPLE'S NETWORK <<http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn/> Home Page
ARCHIVES <<http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn/archives.html> read posts to HPN
TO JOIN <<http://aspin.asu.edu/hpn/join.html> or email Tom <<wgcp@earthlink.net>
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