Idaho lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1141 earlier this year, barring cities with a population of more than 100,000 from allowing people to sleep in public, whether in a tent, car, or on the sidewalk. The law went into effect July 1 and it’s already affecting how Boise — and other cities around the Treasure Valley — are handling homelessness.
Didn’t Boise Already Have an Anti-Camping Law?
Prior to the state’s so-called “Galloway Law,” (named thus after the Boise Senator who sponsored the bill) city ordinance included definitions of when it was unlawful for someone to camp in public and outlined how police should enforce the ban.
Perhaps most notably, Boise did not allow for law enforcement to enforce its public camping ban if nearby shelters were at capacity and an individual had nowhere else to go.
Boise City Council amended city ordinance in June to comply with the new state law, removing the requirement to check shelter availability and adding a $10 citation to anyone sleeping in public. The amendment essentially forces police to enforce the camping ban without discretion, though Boise Police Chief Chris Dennison told KTVB that the department would focus on repeat offenders, adding that the change would strain other police resources.
I think what we saw, even in the months leading up to July, is just an increased uncertainty on folks feeling safe and knowing what to expect. The way the law is written is incredibly vague.
Connor O’Hora, Outreach Team Lead at CATCH
How the New Law Is Affecting Boise
We spoke to Connor O’Hora from CATCH, a local organization that partners with nonprofits and law enforcement to provide wraparound services to people experiencing homelessness in the Treasure Valley, to find out how the new state camping ban is impacting Boise. He told us that the Galloway Law is already leading to increased interaction with law enforcement, potentially putting people in the legal system and adding barriers to finding housing and other resources.
O’Hora said Idaho should focus on adding affordable housing and improving quality of life for people experiencing homelessness instead of creating what he called punitive measures that put people at risk.
For its part, Boise City Council’s amendment of city ordinance also outlined the ways in which it would continue to work with local organizations to provide long-term housing solutions.
