FARGO (KFGO) – Since the City of Fargo’s new ordinance banning camping within 100 feet of critical infrastructure or public paths went into effect last month, Fargo Cass Public Health staff have been working with the homeless to relocate them.
Harm Reduction Division Community Liaison Chandler Esslinger says the response from people has been positive.
Eesslinger says Harm Reduction staff works with Public Works and Police to relocate homeless camps. Even though there is an ordinance, so far, no one has been arrested or fined.
“What our outreach team has actually been able to do is work with all of the folks that have been sleeping outside, even before the ordinance went into effect, and say, ‘hey, this is what the city is going to be doing. They’re going to be implementing this no camping ordinance, however, there are locations, likely a few feet from where you are now where you can be,’” Esslinger says. “So, our outreach team worked with them to move their camps into the areas that they could be and then we continue to do that daily outreach to them.”
Esslinger says there are about 1,000 homeless people living in the area at any given time. She says anyone who sees someone camping or sleeping outside can report it in the Homelessness tab at FargoOne on the City of Fargo’s website.
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