Miami Beach commission votes to allow police to arrest homeless people who sleep outside, decline shelter – NBC 6 South Florida

The Miami Beach City Commission has voted to allow police to arrest homeless people who are found sleeping outdoors and refuse to go to a shelter.

The city previously had a ban on outdoor sleeping, but that ordinance required police to issue a warning before making an arrest.

The new ordinance, which passed in a four to three vote Wednesday night, eliminates the requirement for a warning.

Commissioners first introduced the item in September where it faced many objections. Some even argued that the ordinance criminalizes homelessness.

“Arresting folks for being homeless is not the solution,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola. “Creating a new category of crime, which is basically the category of being homeless, is not the solution.”

But supporters of the ordinance say it provides a solution to the city’s homeless crisis.

“The worst rating that our residents give us, and I think it was two surveys in a row, was on the homeless issue,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Steven Meiner. “On how we deal with the homeless individuals that people are seeing and think impacts negatively their quality of life. It’s the thing they criticize us the most for and I think it’s a step in the right direction to address that.”

The legislation takes effect within the next 10 days.