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From:Nicole Hwang <br />To:publiccomment <br />Subject:Concerns with the proposed anti-camping ordinance <br />Date:Monday, July 21, 2025 4:32:47 PM <br />You don't often get email from nichwang29@gmail.com. Learn why this is important <br />Dear Redwood City Council, <br />It was with alarm today that I learned of the city council’s plan to approve an anti-camping <br />ordinance, which will effectively criminalize homelessness. While I understand that <br />homelessness is a complicated issue, study after study have shown that while anti-camping <br />ordinances can decrease the amount of visible homelessness, they are often ineffective or even <br />exacerbate the problem as they push people away from existing services and increase the <br />trauma associated with homelessness. It is particularly troubling to me that with this <br />ordinance individuals may only receive 48 hours’ notice to move before they are fined up to <br />$500, which likely they cannot pay, and hence will end up in jail for up to 6-months. How can <br />incarcerating homeless individuals be good for either the individuals or the prison system? <br />While I understand that this ordinance is expected to pass, I believe it minimally should be <br />fully vetted by the Housing and Human Concerns Committee for appropriate policy and social <br />responsiveness through all city departments. Any recommendations should be followed to <br />ensure that minimal damage is done until a more sensible approach, that doesn’t include <br />incarceration, is adopted. <br />Nicole Hwang <br />Unincorporated San Carlos, San Mateo County