Morgantown Coalition for Housing Action trying to repeal city’s camping ban ordinance

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Less than 24 hours after the City of Morgantown passed an ordinance that prohibits camping on public property , the Morgantown Coalition for Housing Action (MoCHA) has filed a petition to repeal it, saying it “will only make upward mobility more challenging for poor and unhoused folks.”

MoCHA filed the petition for a referendum on Wednesday. If the group gathers 1,300 signatures against the ordinance within 30 days, the ordinance can be repealed, according to an MoCHA press release.

The “Camping on Public Property” Ordinance passed by a 4-3 vote during the Morgantown City Council meeting on Tuesday. Under the ordinance, which is scheduled to go into effect on Oct. 3, anyone found camping or storing camping items on city-owned land will be warned on a first violation, fined up to $200 on a second violation, and fined up to $500 and imprisoned up to 30 days on a third violation. Criminal penalties can only be imposed if the person in violation “has been offered alternate shelter and refused the offer.”

MoCHA’s release said the ordinance was “unpopular” and opposed 6-1 by the public. During the public comment portion of the city council meeting, 28 of the 32 people who spoke were against the ordinance, according to Councilor Danielle Trumble, who voted against it.

“Morgantown needs affordable housing, more shelter space, improved community infrastructure, and better wrap-around services to combat homelessness. This ordinance does not address any of the myriad of necessities the community needs. Rushing to pass an unpopular ordinance without listening and acting on the community’s input is undemocratic,” the MoCHA release said.

A press release from the City of Morgantown sent to 12 News on Thursday said that ordinance will be enforced with “a fair removal process.”

“Enforcing this ordinance doesn’t mean that we are being insensitive to a person’s housing instability. Instead, we hope to use this policy as a tool to connect campers to services or organizations that can help them get off the streets and better their lives,” City Manager Kim Haws said in the city’s release.

Other organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia (ACLU-WV) have voiced opposition to the ordinance, saying “while no city has successfully arrested its way out of homelessness, that won’t stop Morgantown from trying.”

Morgantown residents who want to sign the MoCHA petition can provide their information here and a MoCHA official will reach out to schedule a time to sign.

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