A lengthy proposal aimed at reducing crime recently unveiled by Kentucky lawmakers has housing advocacy groups concerned about the impact on the homeless. The Safer Kentucky Act, currently in draft stages, is expected to be introduced when the legislature convenes next year. The proposal includes a statewide camping ban, with penalties of up to five thousand dollars and one month in jail, and funding penalties to any jurisdiction that refuses to enforce the ban.
Clark County Community Services Housing Director Tish Shupe says organizations who provide services to the homeless are deeply concerned these measures could make their work more difficult, and are shocked at the lack of input from people working on the ground.
Supporters including Republican Representative Jared Bauman of Louisville, the bill’s lead sponsor, say the legislation will reduce the number of homicides and keep communities safer. The proposal also includes increased penalties for attempted murder and a three-strikes law for persistent felony offenders.
Shupe says being arrested and incarcerated isn’t going to do anything to help stabilize individuals with mental-health issues and substance-use issues that likely contributed to their being homeless, nor make communities safer.
The bill also calls for the creation of “homeless outreach teams” which would require law enforcement to force un-housed people into state-run encampments under threat of arrest. A 2020 study found that criminalizing homeless people limits their access to services, housing and jobs; while fines and time spent in jail create further barriers to accessing stable housing.
