Elgin officials eye crackdown on unwanted activity in city parking facilities

Elgin City Council members never used the words "homeless" or "houseless" Wednesday night, but in a preliminary vote on a new ban on unwanted activities in public parking garages, they made it clear they wanted another tool to curb problematic activities by people without a permanent home in the Carleton Rogers Park and greater downtown area.

The council voted unanimously to limit the use of city-owned parking structures and lots to the actual parking and retrieval of vehicles or certain sanctioned activities like car shows. If police find people hanging out in garages or lots, storing their personal items in them or conducting bathroom activities in those facilities, officers will have the ability to remove those people.

Police Chief Ana Lalley said officers would make every effort to educate anyone they find violating the ban that those activities are now prohibited. Writing tickets or issuing a temporary ban from the entire downtown would only be used for chronic offenders.

"There's a lot of education that goes into the enforcement portion," Lalley said.

That said, councilman John Steffen asked Lalley to keep the council updated with stats on how often her department enforces the new rules, particularly when officers issue tickets or downtown bans.

Police officers began 24/7 patrols of the downtown earlier this month in response to mounting complaints from residents and business owners about the behavior of some of the local houseless population.

Elgin City Manager Rick Kozal said Wednesday "numerous" complaints involve unruly or unsanitary behavior in the city's parking facilities. City officials even tried to put porta-potties in parking garages about a year ago, but council members said it's clear some people refuse to use it.

"It's gotten to the point where we're not helping anymore; we're kind of hindering the situation," said councilman Corey Dixon. "So now we have to turn our ways of dealing with this into something different."

The plan already received criticism from Elgin resident Sandra Davila. She views the pending new city ordinance as a law unfairly targeting local houseless people.

"What are you doing to have choices for these people?" Davilla asked.

She said a third-grader she teaches suggested officials should provide a building for houseless people where they can get food and other help.

"If a third-grader is able to understand what social services can do, why can't we? We're adults," Davila said.

Multiple members of the council said officials must continue to work on an encompassing long-term solution to address the local houseless population.

The full city council must take a final official vote before the ban goes into place.