Despite passionate, and sometimes overwrought pleas from public speakers against the motion, Lowell’s City Council last night adopted an ordinance banning camping on public grounds throughout the city.
The vote to approve passed by an 8-1 vote, with Councilor Wayne Jenness the only “No” vote. Councilors Sokhary Chau and Paul Ratha Yem were not in attendance and did not vote on the matter.
The vote came the same night the Brockton, MA City Council passed a similar “no camping” measure.
The discussion got heated on numerous occasions, as a number of the measure’s opponents hurled accusations at Lowell’s Legislative body. When the public speaking portion ended and councilors took their turns at the microphone, they were continuously interrupted from the gallery.
A few councilors, most notably Rita Mercier, Erik Gitschier and Corey Robinson took the opportunity to give it right back to the jeering protesters.
The measure (click here to view in its entirety) makes it “unlawful for any person to camp or maintain a Campsite or Camp Materials in or on any public property or in the public right-of-way, including but not limited to any street, sidewalk, school or public park, unless specifically authorized or during a Period When Shelter Is Unavailable.”
The ordinance goes into effect seven days after its passage, to permit any individuals located in any Campsite to remove Camping Materials in order to comply with the new directive.
7 responses to “Count Lowell in Anti-Camping Camp”
Does it include homeless people also?
Why did Wayne Jenness not vote in favor of this eminently sensible measure? These homeless encampments all over the city are an eyesore and embarassment. Next up: cooperting with ICE in the removal of all the city’s illegal aliens…
These are our neighbors. People just like you and me, not “eyesores”. May you never come to a crossroads in your life where you lose your (assumed) privileges’ and have no where safe and warm to sleep and live. And may your neighbors be kinder to you than you were to them.
Are there people *with* safe housing that are camping in the streets of Lowell?? “Camping” usually refers to a fun activity you do with friends and family to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Popping a tent in South Common isn’t “camping”, it’s surviving.
These are not our neighbors. They are walking talking potential health hazards. The amount of drug paraphernalia and human waste I have seen in close proximity to the river – where as I kid I fished and kids still fish there – is incredibly disgusting and unsafe. We are past the point where millions of dollars (carrot) has had no positive effect in reducing this population. Time for criminal fines and more (stick).
Rita Mercier, Erik Gitschier, Corey Robinson, Kim Scott, John Keanu, Paul Conway, Ryan Rourke, Sokhary Chau, Paul Ratha Yem, and Marty Hogan are not expected to be experts on solving systemic homelessness in the United States, or even in Lowell, Massachusetts. However, as members of the City Council, they are tasked with representing and supporting the progress of Lowell’s diverse community. That community provided more than enough information to enable a decision that would avoid harm while actively collaborating to continue to address the homelessness crisis. A responsibility upheld by the sole dissenting vote of Councilor Wayne Jenness.
The recent public support for Lowell’s camping ban, including feedback calling individuals experiencing homelessness “walking, talking potential health hazards,” underscores the stigma and dehumanization embedded in such policies. Whether or not the counselors choose to acknowledge it, this rhetoric reflects the attitudes they are representing. These comments overlook shared humanity and systemic failures contributing to homelessness. While concerns about public health, safety, and environmental preservation are valid, criminal fines and displacement do not resolve these issues; they worsen them.
Homelessness is not an individual failing; it results from systemic inequities such as unaffordable housing, insufficient mental health services, and inadequate addiction support. Punitive policies fail to address these root causes, shifting responsibility onto individuals with limited capacity to navigate or change the systems that have failed them.
Having worked as a housing case manager, I have seen communities thrive when systemic solutions are prioritized. Comprehensive supportive services, permanent housing, and pathways for reintegration help address both the visible and underlying aspects of homelessness. Shifting the focus from criminalization to evidence-based approaches offers a way to align policies with equity and inclusion- values that reflect the best of Massachusetts.
Investing in housing-first initiatives, developing affordable housing, and expanding access to mental health and addiction services provide sustainable avenues to reduce homelessness and strengthen communities. These actions offer opportunities to build stability and dignity for all residents, including those experiencing homelessness, and to approach these shared challenges with both compassion and strategy.
This is just fully criminalizing homelessness, which is exactly what this “camping” is referring to. Like someone said, you don’t just camp out in South Commons at 2 AM with nothing but a thin blanket and a backpack if you had somewhere safe and secure to go. Fully supporting this because you don’t like the state of one river you fished in as a kid is quite a way to center yourself in something you otherwise wouldn’t care about. You don’t care about homelessness, you care about your comfort. Someone who only sees things from their side & only cares about things that directly affect them would see homeless people as “walking health hazards.” You don’t care about their health, just yours. When you were a kid fishing in that river, did you care about helping others that were in need? Because the river might not be the only thing that’s sullied.