LANSING, Mich. — Homeless in Lansing for 3 years, Jamie Jones said life is not easy.
“It’s not easy,” Jones said. “We struggle a lot out here.”
Which is why Jamies said she's found herself staying in encampments, locations that some state democratic law makers say are needed.
“I think being able to live in an encampment and have the freedom to choose where you live is an important right we need to protect,” said Democratic State Rep. Carrie Rheingans.
That brings us to Proposed House Bill 4197, introduced by Representative Emily Dievendorf earlier this week.
Along with highlighting other rights for un-housed people, the Bill encourages municipalities to set up sanctioned encampments that protect un-housed people and their personal property.
“They have personal property that we really should be respecting it and make sure we're not just disregarding it without their consent,”Rheingans said.
But there is opposition when it comes to the bill.
“Why are they homeless,” said Chair of Ingham County Republican Party Norm Shinkle. “We have shelters all over. Oh I'll tell you because they don't wanna play by the shelters rules.”
Shinkle believes a bill like this doesn't solve the problem for the un-housed population or the city itself.
“I see it basically being a place for people to go who are on drugs and this gives them a right to do that, just like someone would have the privacy to do it in their own home,” Shinkle said.
Click here to view the full Bill.
