The city of New Orleans isn’t any closer to having a solution for moving the homeless out of a makeshift camp near Claiborne Avenue and Canal Street after an ordinance preventing people from sleeping in public places was sent to a task force to be reworked.

WWL-TV

At a city council meeting to discuss the ordinance, no speakers came out in favor of the measure and city council members were concerned that people would be jailed for not having a place to sleep.

The ordinance, which is backed by the Nagin administration, would prohibit sleeping in a tent or sleeping bag or on a mattress in public places like a park. It also outlaws cooking over a fire in a public place, or living in a car on a public street.

The ordinance would allow an arrest if the homeless person refuses available space at the New Orleans Mission, or another accommodation by the city. If the homeless facilities are full, an arrest would not be allowed.

Despite the safeguards, many at Canal and Claiborne said they didn’t want to be told where they had to live. Others supporting the rights of the homeless were concerned that it would criminalize poverty.

“The problem with this ordinance is that it will essentially jail the working poor,” said Catherin Ampagounian of the Daughters of Charity.

Several speakers and council members alike said the ordinance would also be unlikely to lessen the number of homeless.

“There is no city in America that criminalizes homelessness and has made significant progress in reducing it,” said Martha Kegel of Unity.

“Who is going to want to hire somebody that has a record of being homeless? Asked councilwoman Shelly Midura.

The council didn’t vote on the ordinance but instead set up a task force to study the issue, possibly redrawing it from scratch. Another meeting on the issue is set for May 8.

The  number of homeless at the location has been estimated at around 150.