Please join us in telling the Haddonfield commissioners not to criminalize homelessness.  

Despite overwhelming public opposition during a five-hour public hearing last week, the Haddonfield Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 to advance an ordinance making it a crime to sleep or "protractedly" lounge on seats or benches in public areas between dusk and dawn. Those found guilty of the ordinance could be punished with a fine up to $2,000 and jail sentence up to 90 days. If this ordinance passes at a second public hearing, it will go into effect as law.

Those who are unhoused need services and assistance, not fines they cannot afford or jail time. Experts recommend increasing levels of affordable housing and making available more medical and mental health services to help people from becoming unhoused in the first place. Imprisoning a homeless person additionally costs far more than providing them with housing, so taxpayers will pay more in taxes if towns choose to incarcerate homeless people rather than provide housing and other services to help them.

Please take a minute to send a message to the Haddonfield Commissioners and ask them to vote against the proposed Ordinance or withdraw it from consideration altogether.