DALLAS – The City of Dallas must respect the constitutional rights of homeless residents, warned the ACLU of Texas in a letter issued today to Dallas Mayor Rawlings and City Council members.
On July 19, the City of Dallas plans to evict homeless residents from the Coombs camp located under I-45 at Coombs Street. After Dallas City Council ordered the “Tent City” closed by May 4, many homeless residents unable to find accessible shelter or affordable housing options, joined more than 80 residents at Coombs camp.
“Forcing people to leave the Coombs encampment without helping them find a place to live will not do anything to keep homeless people safe,” said Trisha Trigilio, staff attorney with the ACLU of Texas. “The City is merely herding people from one encampment to another under the threat of going to jail. This policy is not humane and, until Dallas can improve access to emergency shelter beds, it’s not constitutional.”
The letter explains that nearly all the people at Coombs camp cannot access shelter beds, making their very presence in Dallas criminal under a local ordinance that bans sleeping in public.
The ACLU of Texas is collaborating with caseworkers on the ground to distribute Know Your Rights pamphlets prior to the scheduled July 19 eviction. The pamphlets make clear that homeless residents retain the right to be free from unreasonable searches, basic property rights and the right to disengage from police encounters.
ACLU of Texas Letter to Dallas Mayor Rawlings and City Council: https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/2016-07-14_aclu_ltr_-_dallas_mayor_city_council_-_coombs.pdf
Know Your Rights, Dallas Homeless Camp Removals: https://www.aclutx.org/en/know-your-rights/dallas-homeless-camp-removals
