WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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The Indianapolis City-County Council let the “No sit/No Lie” ordinance die without a vote, yesterday.
The vote was cancelled by the ordinances’ author, Republican Minority Leader Michael McQuillen. No other council-member objected to the cancellation.
The ordinance would have prohibited any person from sitting or lying on “any surface in ‘public right of way,’ between 6 a.m. and midnight.” The ordinance would’ve applied to every city sidewalk and street, within the Downtown Mile Square. Critics of the ordinance protested at last night’s meeting, saying the proposal criminalizes homelessness.
The ordinance received a recommendation of ‘do not pass’ from the Rules and Public Policy Committee, the week prior. McQuillen said he decided not to hold a vote due to the sit/lie ordinance’s unpopularity and the recent bipartisan proposal from Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office; Mayor Hogsett’s proposal would commit $500,000 to finance homeless housing programs and increase Indianapolis Police’s presence in Indianapolis’ Mile Square. Mayor Hogsett said this initiative is part of the city’s goal to ‘end chronic homelessness’ in the next five years.
The source of the funding for Mayor Hogsett’s proposal is still as-of-yet undetermined. Indianapolis city-county Council President Vop Osili has said the half million dollars will not come from a property tax increase.
Mayor Hogsett’s bipartisan proposal will be introduced to the City-County council soon. The full council will not meet again until the new year.
