CLEARWATER (FOX 13) -
It's probably not
the first time you have heard about Clearwater
trying to crackdown on the homeless, but hopefully it may be one of the last.
The proposal is
another step closer to becoming reality.
The city council
unanimously passed the first reading of the most controversial proposal.
It would ban all
homeless from making themselves at home on the streets. They are not allowed to
sit or lay down on public sidewalks overnight and for extended periods of time
in downtown Clearwater and on Clearwater Beach.
If there are any
refusals to move, violators could be fined up to $500 and face 60 days in jail.
People are allowed
sit in parks and during parades, but not at a length of time.
In
hopes to keep the homeless away, the city began to close some of the parks
restrooms last month.
