Des Moines to consider designated homeless camp sites
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Des Moines will consider new ways to temporarily house people experiencing homelessness, including a designated camp, modular home site or church parking lots that volunteer to help.
Why it matters: The proposals could bridge gaps in services for unhoused people trying to transition to permanent housing, DSM Mayor Connie Boesen tells Axios.
- They come after the City Council approved new camping and outdoor sleeping bans this week, which some housing advocates say will criminalize homelessness and make it harder for people to find services.
Driving the news: The City Council approved Boesen's motion this week, which directs the city manager to review the proposals.
Zoom in: Changes to city ordinances could allow churches to host outdoor campers and use their facilities for emergency services like warming stations.
- Boesen said the review process could identify possible sites for a camp and another for Pallet shelters — small modular homes used for transitional housing in multiple other states.
What they're saying: The city is also examining the preliminary results from places like Missoula, Montana, where similar alternatives were proposed after a camping ban recently passed, Boesen said.
- If city staff find the concepts viable, they'll outline strict guidelines to ensure the options are for transitional purposes only, not permanent housing solutions, she said.
The other side: Councilperson Josh Mandelbaum unsuccessfully urged the council to delay the bans while it explored the transitional solutions to avoid unintended consequences.
The intrigue: Some community leaders were already reviewing the possibility of a Pallet homes site on city-owned property near Southeast 14th and Harriet streets before the bans passed, but the costs to run utilities there make that site unlikely, Boesen tells Axios.
What's next: The council's motion did not define a timeline for recommendations, but Boesen said she anticipates an update in the coming weeks.