- A Homeless Bill of Rights is progressing through Michigan's state house chambers.
- The bill aims to grant basic rights to the unhoused, including the right to move freely, access medical care, and vote.
- Michael Karl, once unhoused himself, is advocating for the bill to help others gain stability.
- Representative Emily Dievendorf supports the bill, emphasizing humane treatment for the unhoused.
- The bill successfully passed out of committee with no vocal opposition and will soon be introduced in the House.
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Micheal Karl spent years around Lansing, unhoused.
"It was the hardest experience of my life and I got very little help," Karl said.
Gaining support from his community Karl is now housed and the owner of the Fretail store in the Lansing Mall.
"It's one of the only places in Michigan where it's set up like a retail store but everything in here is free. From diapers, personal care items, shoes, clothing, it's all here for those in need for free," Karl said.
And while he tries his best to help others, he knows there is more that is needed to support neighbors who are unhoused.
"To protect people that really have no rights at all but recognize a pathway to get them into housing but to also end discrimination," Karl said.
After talking to neighbors and his own experiences, he created a list of proposed rights and brought it to Representative Emily Dievendorf.
"This bill seeks to establish a baseline standard for how we treat our unhoused neighbors humanely," State Representative Dievendorf said.
The bill named the Homeless Bill of Rights would provide people who are unhoused with the right to move freely in public spaces, prevent discrimination with employers, receive medical care, and the right to vote. If the rights are violated, a person could enact civil action.
"If somebody wants to get on their feet, they need access to all of those factors that provide stability for that to be a successful endeavor," Dievendorf said.
Something Karl says everyone should get.
"All of us should be protected."
The bill passed out of committee on November 14th with no vocal opposition to the legislation. It is expected to be introduced in the house soon.
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