This photo is of a man packing up his belongings recently outside the former homeless shelter on Record street, which the Council decided to demolish with its own money yesterday, rather than waiting for a developer to do so, another defeat for those advocating for neighbors on the streets.
Their focus yesterday though was primarily centered on opposing the city’s enhancement of criminalizing those without stable shelter, who spend time outside during the day, spent on survival, going to and from available help, and waiting for appointments for different resources.
Despite pleas during public comment and a protest outside, despite slight hemming and hawing from council woman Naomi Duerr, over including sitting and lying, despite firm opposition from council woman Meghan Ebert saying we are entering debtors’ prison territory, the Reno City Council breezily passed an updated ordinance to consolidate anti camping, sitting, lying, and sleeping laws in public areas.
Police said this new ordinance would “simplify” their operations, while businesses said it would improve “public safety.” It was worked on by staff after a recent Supreme Court decision allowed the criminalization of the unhoused even when there is no shelter space available.
Advocates for the unhoused said they would boycott local businesses who support the ordinance.
They’ve also wanted the former CAC compound now in disuse to serve as additional resources for those without stable shelter, but instead City Council has decided to sell it to the Ulysses Development Group.
Ebert yet again was a lone no vote on the latest wrinkle in that convoluted process, saying the decision to take on the demolition rather than have the developer pay for it upfront was not fiscally responsible. Ulysses will repay whichever is less of $670,000 or the actual cost of demolition.
The $3.4 million sale is not expected to close until the end of the year, with an option to extend until December 2026, meaning the promised mixed rent level apartments there, will not be ready for move-in anytime soon.
