Illegal camping
The PG recently included a front-page photo of a homeless camp on the 3 Rivers Heritage Trail and reported the snarled efforts of the city to address the homeless population’s needs (“Not a simple project,” Apr. 3). Our city must make space for homeless to come inside if we are ever going to resolve the crisis.
But there is also this. Apparently, Mayor Gainey wouldn’t sign the bill partly because it would, “make current tent encampments illegal.” While there is no justification for a broad sanction which could be cruel and would be challenged by the ACLU, there is ample justification for a selective, commonsense set of sanctions against camping. Such a law should accompany any plan to house the homeless.
Homelessness isn’t just a problem for the homeless. Homeless encampments too often infringe upon the rights of everyone who wants to ride a bike, take a walk, play outdoors, see a show, or visit a museum. The camp site pictured on the front page and others along the Heritage Trail effectively subtract that beautiful spot from the publicdomain.
Once a housing plan goes in place, camping of any kind should be illegal in city parks and anywhere on or adjacent to recreationareas like the Heritage Trail or close to all public facilities and spaces where the use and enjoyment is marred, and civic value reduced,by homeless campers.
If such a law were enacted and enforced as more housing is created there would still be ample areas where homeless people could pitch a tent — they just wouldn’t be able to do so in areas where their presence and activities infringe upon the rights of citizens and visitors to Pittsburgh. NICKOLAS CERTO
Herrs Island