Homeless people fear conflict with police as Elgin council OKs crackdown

With at least one member of Elgin's homeless population expressing concerns about mounting tension with local police, city council members locked in a plan Wednesday to enhance law enforcement's ability to crack down on activity in the city's parking garages.

The plan also drew an unexpected "no" vote from one council member who voted for the plan just two weeks ago.

The 8-1 final approval by the council beefs up the city's nuisance ordinance. It restricts the use of city-owned parking structures or lots to actual parking or retrieval of vehicles, or certain sanctioned activities like car shows.

Police can remove people from garages if they are engaging in any other activity, including loitering. Chronic offenders can even receive tickets or a temporary ban from the entire downtown.

Elgin resident Abel Barrazza called the plan "unconstitutional." He argued homeless people have the same rights as anyone else.

"All it is, is sweeping dirty under the rug," Barrazza said. "I feel that's irresponsible for the city government to aggressively target homelessness and not actually look at solutions. Public property is for the public."

A member of Elgin's homeless community who identified himself only as Jacob said the solution isn't to incite conflict between homeless people and the police. He called for the creation of a second, semi-permanent location in Elgin where homeless individuals can congregate away from the downtown.

He said the homeless community is forming a new Elgin Coalition on Homelessness to ease the "increased animosity between Elgin (police) and the houseless."

"We are stepping in to stop it before it's too late," Jacob said. "We are completely out of locations to place tents or any form of temporary shelter."

Jacob said the new location could be called "2 Homeless Way," a reference to Elgin's Tent City, which is also known as "1 Homeless Way."

Council members have been vocal about finding a long-term solution to the conflict between the city's homeless population and customers and business owners near Carleton Rogers Park and the greater downtown. But they were mostly silent before Wednesday's vote.

Council member Baldemar Lopez offered the only comment. Lopez voted in favor of the enhanced nuisance ordinance two weeks ago, but Wednesday he said he regretted that vote and withdrew his support for the plan.

"I would like to take that back, based on personal principles and issues that I dealt with as a civil rights attorney for many years," Lopez said. "I feel it's not a balanced approach."