COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia's Downtown Community Improvement District sent a letter requesting the City Council to develop an enforceable "urban camping ordinance."

CID Executive Director Nickie Davis told ABC 17 News on Tuesday about the letter being sent to the council and the number of businesses that signed in support. She said it is expected to be discussed at the next City Council meeting.

The letter has support from nearly 70 business owners and organizations. It aims to address concerns of public camping, sidewalk obstructions, encampments and sanitation issues.

Davis said the growing unhoused population has struck a heavy blow to local businesses for years.

“It definitely hurts our small businesses when customers walk up and don't feel comfortable enough to even go into a small business because someone might be sitting or sleeping there,” she said.

The District wrote in the letter the initiative is not intended to criminalize homelessness.

"Currently, existing ordinances appear fragmented, broad, and difficult to locate or interpret. This creates confusion for residents, businesses, law enforcement, outreach providers, and individuals seeking services," the letter says.

After visiting Columbia, South Carolina, Davis said the city’s specific definition of urban camping - along with its tiered approach - is what put their letter in motion.

“We're hoping for a kind of a citation, a citation kind of warning. So the first one would be a warning. The second one might be a warning with a citation, and then the third one would be a little bit more," she said.

The letter urges the city to pair the requested ordinance with compassionate outreach, like shelter referrals and mental health support. Adding that many communities have adopted a tiered enforcement model that prioritizes education and voluntary compliance over immediate penalties.

“So we're not immediately going to, you know, you're lying on a sidewalk, you're arrested or anything like that. We're hoping for a kind of a citation, a warning. So the first one would be a warning.The second one might be a warning with a citation, and then the third one would be a little bit more," Davis said.

The district said that with the launch of the new Block by Block Safety Ambassador Program, clear laws are essential in helping them deescalate issues and connect people with services before emergency services need to be called.

Brenda Porter, the director of the Child Advocacy Center of Central Missouri, said her organization signed onto the letter.

Porter said the decision to sign on wasn't easy, but was ultimately made to protect the vulnerable children and families they serve daily.

She says their building is right by Flat Branch Park, and they have allegedly ran into issues with unhoused individuals in their parking lot after hours.

"We have to be careful that the children don't arrive to see, used needles in our parking lot. Airplane shots, beer cans, things like that. So, our intentions of signing on to that letter is to help provide some type of control, to to the folks, that tend to frequent our property," Porter said.

Ward 1 Councilwoman Valerie Carrol said right now she is focusing on the 1% public safety tax.

"At this exact moment, I really think it's a lot more important for us to be focused on public safety at this time. I really think it's a lot more important for us to focus on the %1 public safety tax, in the discussion of how to best support our officers and our city ordinances," Carrol said.

Adding that she would want to review the existing city ordinances before deciding if any changes are needed.

"We have a number of ordinances that are meant to address the issues surrounding potential public nuisances. I would like to review those existing ordinances to determine if and where any revisions are necessary," she added.

The proposal has been met with criticism online, with some questioning the effectiveness of similar rules around the country.

The full list of downtown businesses who signed in support of the ordinance can be viewed below:

The letter can be found below: