Denver City Council Ban on Urban Camping Case Study

Denver City Council Ban on Urban Camping - Case Study Example According to the study the proposed ordinance seeks to define the word camping, to include temporary stay on public or private property sheltering against any form of elements. This ordinance will be adopted under the police powers and premised upon the basis of protecting the health, safety and the general welfare of the public. It should be viewed that this ordinance is not merely a law that seeks to prohibit the mere act of sleeping on public or private property. The proposed ordinance to be passed banning unauthorized camping in the city is due to factors such as health and safety of its residents. People sleeping out in the open exposed to all manner of harm raises concern and bring with it a lot of harm. This proposed ordinance seeks to make it illegal to camp on "any private property without the express written consent of the property owner" and "any public property except in any location where camping has been expressly allowed." When people sleep exposed in urban areas, heal th and safety indeed are concerns. The ban comes as a wakeup call to the business owners within the region since tourists visiting the town are affected. Many business owners have to contend with people sleeping outside their place of work. This in turn has an effect on the economy, for example, crime rates have increased and there is so much filth within the area.2 Downtown areas have to be reclaimed, and not to be turned into an eyesore. Carroll also states that the increased encroachment by the homeless people on the streets of Denver causes the loss of the city as a place of entertainment. The author quotes the Mayor’s statements that losing downtown to the homeless is tantamount to losing the city itself. An increase in homelessness and encroachment also causes financial concern, since many meetings dwell on the issue. However, there have been increasing criticisms of the proposed law.