Fond du Lac wants homelessness addressed with safety and dignity. Here's what's been done and what could be next.
A new ordinance passed unanimously by city council Sept. 11 prohibits camping on city property. It took effect Sept. 23.
Daphne LemkeFOND DU LAC – September has seen a number of discussions around homelessness, both from residents concerned for safety and those advocating for human-centered approaches to the issue.
The Fond du Lac City Council Sept. 11 unanimously passed a public safety "code cleanup" ordinance, which included a new ordinance in the city code that prohibits camping on city property, which came into effect Sept. 23.
Several Fond du Lac building owners, business owners and residents spoke to council at that meeting on their experiences with groups of people who appeared to be experiencing homelessness regularly loitering or camping around the Fond du Lac Public Library, the downtown area and other parts of the city.
The top concern was safety, with personal accounts of witnessing drug use, experiencing assault, witnessing sexual harassment and other issues.
They added this affects not only themselves, but also their families, employees and customers feeling unsafe.
What does the new city ordinance entail?
The public camping ordinance was part of a larger agenda item proposing changes to the city code, which also included granting more city positions, such as the community development director, the authority to write ordinance citations; adopting several state code charges by reference so they can be handled through municipal court if not circuit court; and updating the Disorderly Conduct by Use of Telecommunications charge to address how people inappropriately use their cellphones and computers to cause harm.
The ordinance is possible after the Supreme Court of the United States passed in June City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, finding that preventing the act of camping or sleeping on public property was not a violation of the Eighth amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
The draft in the city council agenda defines camping and city property and how violations will be identified, and the ordinance gives the city the right to "remove individuals, personal property, camping materials and campsites from City property after providing reasonable notice of the City’s intent to clear the site."
City attorney Deb Hoffman made it clear at the meeting that the government can't take someone's property without process. However, refuse would be discarded, and weapons, drug paraphernalia and other illegal items would be seized.
She added the city is in the process of researching a "no sleeping on public property" ordinance and has found examples in other communities.
"Frankly, this has been a problem across the country," Hoffman said at the meeting. "A lot of states are dealing with it, a lot of other cities are dealing with it, and I'm trying to take all of the different good, best practices that other cities are using, and we're going to attempt them as well."
Fond du Lac police talk enforcement, dispel rumors
Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein said at the meeting that throughout his 26 years with the department, he knows the city has always had individuals experiencing homelessness, but most were "out of sight" and not taking a public approach the way the area has recently been experiencing.
He had national statistics that showed more than 650,000 people experiencing homelessness in America last year — half of whom were unsheltered — a 12% increase over 2022 and an 80% increase over 10 years ago. Wisconsin had almost 5,000 individuals experience homelessness in 2023.
"At FDLPD, our strategies aim to address homelessness in a way that prioritizes dignity, support and long-term solutions rather than punitive measures," Goldstein said.
The department conducts compassionate outreach and engagement on the individual level and in cooperation with organizations such as the Solutions Center, the St. Katharine Drexel Shelter, churches, nonprofits, mental health services, substance abuse programs and other community resources.
Through this outreach, the department knows most of the people experiencing homelessness are local. Goldstein said when his staff talked face-to-face with 24 individuals in September through the Solutions Center, they learned 22 are from Fond du Lac, and the other two were from out of town but had family in the area until one of the family members recently passed away.
People need to have an address in the county to get local services, such as food share, alcohol and other drug abuse program services, mental health services and more. Using a shelter as an address doesn't count.
For those who aren't from Fond du Lac, Goldstein said it's important to get them somewhere where they have ties to family so they can get started with services and support.
"There are times when compassionate outreach and supportive services are either refused, ineffective or exhausted, and we need additional tools as part of our long-term solutions," Goldstein said. "By combining immediate interventions for unwanted societal and/or criminal behaviors with long-term strategies, we can create a more effective solution for individuals experiencing homelessness and support them in their journey towards stability and well-being."
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Local organizations respond to ordinance
Hope on the Block President Nick Teifke told The Reporter the organization doesn't believe criminalizing homelessness is a solution.
"With our shelters full, housing out of reach for many people financially and winter coming, we should put our efforts into providing services for people in need and not simply moving them down the street," he said.
He added that Hope on the Block's position is and always has been that the city should bring all the stakeholders and organizations on the frontlines of the issue to the table to develop community-based solutions, like what was done to find a new warming shelter in 2023.
Holy Family Catholic Community runs the warming shelter, which will open in November, and Very Rev. Ryan Pruess said the parish and Fond du Lac community remains committed to providing a warm, safe place for people to stay at night during the winter months.
"Even with this ordinance in place, our parish, service organizations and government agencies are fully engaged and ready to serve those in our community who are experiencing homelessness, and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect, as every person deserves," he said.
In response to the ordinance, United for Diversity's Facebook page made the statement that homelessness is not an identity but a circumstance.
"Our homeless neighbors are our neighbors, our citizens and part of our community," the post said. "Every person deserves dignity, compassion and a place to call home."
United for Diversity Board President Kristel Lougher said the organization advocates for a human-centered approach to homelessness, and the council's decision appeared reactive and not based on data, as it didn't share analysis on similar approaches in other cities or seek input from local advocacy agencies that understand the realities of unsheltered homelessness.
"We urge the city to keep the conversation going and ensure that the resources and services necessary to address homelessness are brought to our community," she said. "We must focus on building public support for crisis interventions and long-term solutions. This includes managing public spaces, ensuring access to hygiene facilities, and training first responders in trauma-informed de-escalation methods — so enforcement becomes unnecessary."
What's happened since the ordinance passed?
With many of the reported issues centered near the library, Library Director Jon Mark Bolthouse said at the Sept. 11 meeting the library has taken a few measures to prevent behavioral issues on library property, including eliminating the picnic benches outside and making changes to policies regarding sleeping at the library, both inside and outside, day and night.
On Sept. 19, the library board also voted to remove the Hope on the Block pantry from library grounds, effective Nov. 1.
The pantry opened in August 2022, followed by other pantries in North Fond du Lac and Ripon, all filled with non-perishable food, water, hygienic supplies and other items.
Teifke said Hope on the Block respects the library's decision and will work with community partners to either find a new location or find another solution that allows access to the provided items.
"We understand and empathize with the library's situation, but we also feel that the pantry is helping," Teifke said. "The people that are utilizing both the library and the pantry are going to continue to utilize the library because it provides services — bathrooms, internet, ability to charge phones, etc. — it will just be harder to get what they were getting from the pantry as well, (such as) a granola bar, roll of toilet paper or bar of soap."
As the city Housing Study and Strategic Plan was on the city council agenda for Sept. 25, the homelessness topic returned in public comments, including Hope on the Block Vice President Aymee Renee, who shared her story as someone who has both experienced homelessness and been an advocate for others with their own stories.
"Drug use and domestic violence exist with those who are unhoused, just as they do with those who are not," she said at the meeting. "However, those things are already illegal. The way this ordinance is written does not protect our community any more than it was before. All it does is make it easier for people to judge and discriminate against a group of people who are already at rock bottom."
In addition to the pantries, Hope on the Block serves a weekly meal to-go at 5 p.m. on Fridays at the Cathedral of St. Paul and Broken Bread food pantry, 51 W. Division St. Information about donating and volunteering is available at hopeontheblockfdl.com.
Holy Family is hosting a raffle until Oct. 24 to raise money for the warming shelter and is always looking for volunteers. More information and a link for direct monetary donations are available at hffdl.org/warming-shelter.
Daphne Lemke is the Streetwise reporter for the Fond du Lac Reporter. Contact her at [email protected].