Brockton City Council Fails to Pass Homeless ban
Brockton’s city council thought that they had found the solution to Brockton’s homelessness, by making it a crime.
In a 7-4 vote, Brockton’s city council had attempted to impose new restrictions on the homeless, including a 200$ fine for encampments after a warning was given, a 50$ fine for loitering, and a teardown of homeless encampments across the city that block public property.
However, in a move few predicted, the mayor vetoed the legislation. The mayor said that the fines would only punish homeless individuals, rather than solving the root problems that cause homelessness.
The mayoral veto is rarely used in Brockton, with this being the mayors first use of the veto since he came to power in 2020.
Brockton has long struggled with homelessness, as the largest city on the south shore it brings people from smaller towns that lack adequate support for homeless people. This means that Brockton must support more than just its own, and this strains the cities facilities.
The mayor’s office estimates that on any given night there are between 50 and 70 people sleeping on the street, with more inside the city’s shelters each night. Advocates have long blasted these types of laws, saying that rather than addressing the root causes of homelessness like addiction and mental health they are simply trying to either have them arrested or have them move to a different city or town.
Supporters have said that these measures are needed to force the homeless into shelters, rather than tent cities where drug use and violence are common. Brockton is not the first city to do this, since the recent Supreme Court’s ruling that it did not violate the 4th Amendment to fine the homeless both Fall River and Lowell have enacted similar bans.
