LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Homeless camping bans continue to be enforced across the Las Vegas Valley as summer temperatures continue to rise, as one jurisdiction calls sleeping on the streets “dangerous.”
In June, Boulder City became the latest Southern Nevada city to pass an ordinance against camping in public spaces such as parks and sidewalks.
A Boulder City homeless advocate reached out to FOX5 with her concerns over practical enforcement of the new ordinance during the summer: people could be forced to move their encampments in the heat, which can pose health dangers.
“It’s exhausting to have to try to find a place to go,” Susan Reams tells FOX5. “The library is a long walk in the summer heat,” she said, referring to one of the designated cooling centers for the unhoused to seek refuge.
The community activist has continued outreach to city officials, hoping the ordinance can be changed to allow for some exemptions in the heat.
Other residents praise the city’s recent efforts towards tackling the problem.
“Back when I was a teenager, there was no homeless. I’m glad to see the city’s actually trying to do something about it,” said resident James Marone, who said the problem has grown in recent years. “Hopefully these people will take the help,” he said.
Similar bans have sparked debate across the Las Vegas Valley and Clark County: frustrated residents and businesses want solutions to trash and crime, while homeless advocates argue there’s not enough resources to help everyone in need.
Penalties across the Valley range from citations to jail time.
In Boulder City, before any citation is issued, violators are referred to the “Community Resources Liaison” for connection to resources, a city spokesperson said.
The city provided a lengthy statement, in part:
As of Tuesday night, no one has been cited for violation of the Boulder City camping ban. Boulder City does not have shelter beds for the unhoused, although the homeless liaison has even assisted with short hotel stays for those in need, a city spokesperson tells FOX5.
Those in need of shelter are connected to resources in Clark County, a spokesperson said. The city participates in a regional partnership called the “Southern Nevada Continuum of Care” and contributes funding towards the effort.
FOX5 reached out to the City of Las Vegas about enforcement in the heat. A spokesperson sent the following statement:
FOX5 also reached out to Clark County, and received the following statement:
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