The Phoenix City Council approved a controversial ordinance Wednesday that puts tighter restrictions on services for homeless individuals in city parks.
The ordinance prohibits the sale and distribution of needles and syringes and needle exchange programs in public parks.
It also requires a permit to provide non-emergency medical treatment and to host food distribution events, excluding social gatherings.
While city staff say the new rules will improve park safety, homeless service organizations say they could make much of their work impossible to conduct.
After hours of public comment, the ordinance passed 6-3.
“Our goal is to make sure that everyone is able to utilize our parks in a safe way. So again, to the stakeholders who continue to do the work. Thank you," council member Kesha-Hodge Washington said when voting yes. "Help us help us continue to do that work. There are just other places that it probably is best suited for."
Council member Anna Hernandez voted no, saying the council did not take feedback into account from a similar ordinance passed in December.
"We have now broken that trust with the community after committing to find improvements based on their feedback. And the revised ordinance up for a vote today gets it wrong," Hernandez said.
The new rule takes effect June 5.
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