Truesdale mulls ban on tent living

By: Adam Rollins, Staff Writer
Posted 5/25/21

Truesdale city aldermen last week discussed how to address the issue of at least one person living in a tent, asking if they should ban the use of a tent as a permanent residence.

The May 12 …

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Truesdale mulls ban on tent living

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Truesdale city aldermen last week discussed how to address the issue of at least one person living in a tent, asking if they should ban the use of a tent as a permanent residence.

The May 12 discussion was spurred by a tent that’s been set up outside a home on Market Street. City Administrator MaryLou Rainwater said it seems like someone residing in the tent has made an agreement with the homeowner to stay there.

“From all appearances it seems like someone is living there,” Rainwater said. “They have electric cords ran from the mobile home out to the tent. They have a chair set up, they have a barbecue pit.

“We had an issue there last year with a canopy at the same location, but it got blown down. I think it’s time the board considers doing something that might prevent this in the future,” Rainwater continued.

At issue is that tents and other makeshift homes don’t comply with city ordinance for proper sanitary service or minimum living space. Alderman Jerry Cannon also suggested that a power cord being run to the tent creates the hazard of an electrical fire.

While aldermen expressed sympathy for the tent resident’s situation, they don’t want Truesdale to have an open invitation for homeless migrants to start settling on people’s properties.

Rainwater suggested that aldermen consider restrictions on using tents or vehicles as a long-term residence, as well as a ban on erecting unauthorized tents on public property.

City Attorney Kathleen Joyce suggested that the easiest solution might be an ordinance limiting the number of days a tent can be erected. That would functionally prevent tents as a residence, while still allowing recreational backyard camping.

“You want people to be able to use a tent, or if you have Boy Scouts doing an event for a weekend, or stuff like that,” Joyce said.

From that, Rainwater proposed a 72-hour limit on tents. To prevent people from taking a tent down and then putting it right back up to reset the clock, Rainwater said the total number of camping allowances per year should also be limited.

Rainwater said she and Joyce will draft ordinances for the board of aldermen to consider at a future public meeting. The board’s next meeting is May 26.

Truesdale Board of Aldermen

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