Chatham County is preparing to criminalize homelessness

This Friday, the Chatham County Commission will be voting to regulate "Urban Camping". The amendment would allow

• Immediate removal of anyone found sleeping on sidewalks or under bridges
• Arresting anyone failing to comply with a warning
• Fines up to $50 and/or jail time up to 12 months
• Clearing camps
• Throwing away possessions "having no apparent utility or monetary value [or] having unsanitary condition"
• Throwing away all other items if not picked up within 90 days.

The local DSA has put together a letter of opposition to be submitted to the commissioners and to the clerk as public record. Please sign and share this petition today to tell the commissioners that criminalizing the unhoused is not a solution to our housing crisis. https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-criminalization-of-the-unhoused?source=direct_link&

More info can be found starting on page 242 of the agenda packet (PDF): https://chathamcountyga.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1696&Inline=True

Edit: Thank you so much to everybody who has signed already! We're still collecting signatures, but if you'd like to get more involved, consider sending a letter to the County Commissioner stating your opposition. Let's show the county how organized we can be!