GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Greensboro is among many cities nationally struggling with how to assist people experiencing homelessness while also maintaining the cleanliness and safety of public streets.
On Tuesday night, the city voted to amend an existing ordinance to further regulate behavior on local streets after downtown business owners and people who frequent the area raised the alarm.
The idea to amend the ordinance was Mayor Nancy Vaughan’s and was put forth after a long list of complaints from business owners and visitors who say some of the issues downtown deter them from wanting to be there.
“We own a lot of buildings in downtown Greensboro and have a lot of businesses there and have enjoyed a lot of years of calm and quiet,” business owner Jay Jung said.
Jung is an integral part of the downtown community and says conditions have taken a turn for the worse.
“It’s just this past year, we’ve seen a huge uptick in incidents,” Jung said.
Jung says his businesses have seen crimes like vandalism, and employees have discovered multiple instances of human waste on their property.
“It isn’t just me. It’s all the buildings around us that are encountering the same thing,” he said.
Greensboro’s city council decided to amend chapter 18 section 44 of the Greensboro Code of Ordinances to curtail criminal and sanitary concerns.
“We’ve also experienced issues with individuals using the area at the back of our shop as a bathroom and leaving behind personal belongings creating unsanitary and unpleasant conditions,” another business owner told the city council during their meeting.
The revision specifies a person cannot sleep on public roads or sidewalks or block entrances and exits to buildings. It also says a person can’t sit or lie down on public roads or passageways or in front of buildings as well.
Some feel the new ordinance will not have enough teeth, including Philip Marsh. He advocates for the unhoused and better security at resource centers.
“No new ordinance is going to resolve that because there are already laws and ordinances on the books to address this, and a blind eye is turned,” Marsh told the city council.
Others think the new step could help.
“We can and must do a better job to support our neighbors in need and uphold the overall quality of life for all of our citizens and the livelihood of our local businesses,” another man said in the public hearing.
The ordinance went into effect as soon as it was passed, but there is a two-week grace period to allow for education.
Violations are considered a low-level misdemeanor with the punishment of a fine.
As for restrooms, the city is installing accessible portable bathrooms in several areas and looking for a more permanent solution with plumbing.
