On 12 September, Palo Alto City Council will vote on an ordinance that bans “human habitation of vehicles.” It is a response to unhoused individuals who park their cars in residential areas and sleep in them at nights; some neighborhood residents have expressed that they have experienced problems with litter and that they feel unsafe sending their kids outside when unknown vehicles are parked in the area. Enforcement of the ordinance is complaint-only, and individuals will be referred to social services. Multiple violations of the ordinance can result in fines of up to $1,000 and/or six months county jail time. You can read more about the ordinance in these Palo Alto Weekly articles: July 2011, August 2010, July 2010. Although concerns about hygiene and safety are very legitimate, we feel that this ordinance is not a compassionate and balanced way to alleviate them.

The proposed ordinance is a response to public safety concerns. People feel unsafe when cars are parked outside their houses. This is a real problem. Everyone has the right to feel safe in his home. But the ordinance doesn’t address the cause of this situation, how and why people live in their cars. The ordinance doesn’t present options.

There is little affordable housing, and there is no available shelter. 178 unhoused residents live in Palo Alto, and the only shelter has 15 beds. The national average waiting time for Section 8 rental subsidies is 35 months. Sleeping outside can’t be an option. It presents mortal health risks. A 2005 National Health Care for the Homeless study found the average age of death of an unhoused person is 42-52 years. Life expectancy in the U.S. is 79 years.

The ordinance further limits the options of people who may be unhoused. This is a real problem. Everyone has the right to feel safe in his home. We care about the safety of all Palo Alto residents. We can reach a more effective resolution that ensures everyone’s safety.

What is wonderful is how the Palo Alto community seems to be united in its values. Several of those in favor of the ordinance have expressed concern for their own families and for the well being of the individuals who are forced to sleep in their cars, worries which we all share.

If the proposed ordinance passes on July 25, it will affect people who were not represented when it was drafted. Each of us has a limited perspective. If we don’t work together, there are critical questions we overlook. We should shape consensus and craft a plan that equitably represents the perspectives of the homeowners and of the people in the cars. In order to do so, we would like the final solution to be drafted by a representative group; we’re calling this the Community Cooperation Team, because we envision that it will allow the community to come together and use its diverse perspectives to form a comprehensive plan.

We hope to persuade the City Council to, in lieu of passing the ordinance, give the Community Cooperation Team time to develop a new proposal in coordination with the council. But in order for City Council to consider this a viable alternative, we need to show that we have a lot of community support behind this initiative.

We have been so moved by how the common value of compassion brings our town together, and we are sure that with all of us working together, we can develop an idea that benefits the whole community. We can reach a more effective resolution that ensures the well-being of everyone who calls Palo Alto home. To that end, we urge you to sign this petition, in support of developing a more constructive and compassionate plan.