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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-19-23 Public Comment - L. Christenson - Public Health Recommendations _ Ordinance 2147From:Christenson, Lori To:Christopher Coburn; Cyndy Andrus; Terry Cunningham; Jennifer Madgic; Jeff Mihelich Cc:AgendaSubject:[EXTERNAL]Public Health Recommendations | Ordinance 2147Date:Tuesday, September 19, 2023 11:40:41 AM Attachments:image.pngimage.pngimage.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear City of Bozeman Commissioners-- I write you today to provide public health recommendations related to a decision before you this evening on Ordinance 2147 Provisional Adoption of Regulations for Camping on City Right of Way. I recognize this is a difficult, complex issue and what appear as simple solutions are not without their challenges. I also recognize that there are arguments and concerns on all sides. As a public health professional my role today is to provide recommendations related to your proposed ordinance. I also want to be thoughtful so that my words don’t unfairly, further disadvantage those whose who are in a situation where their homes may look different than our own. The public health guidance shared below should not be co-opted and used to justify further stigmatization, displacement, criminalization and inaction. I respectfully request that my recommendations not be used to problematize homelessness as an individual failing, a disease or a crime, but rather as a structurally created problem that we as a community should address. Specifically, encampments and urban camping make visible that some in our community lack basic determinants of health such as access to running water, sanitation and garbage disposal. In a complex issue tied to lack of affordable housing and poverty, public health’s role is twofold; protecting public healthand serving as an advocate for adequate housing and other resources based on protection and promotion of health. Promoting Health and Sanitation To the degree possible, everyone should have reasonable access to basic needs such as potable water, trash services, hygiene and sanitation facilities. In the absence of adequate, affordable housing, ensuring access to basic services such as water, sanitation, and garbage disposal is critical to protect against the spread of infectious disease and other potential carriers of disease. To ensure the provision of these public services for those living in urban camping areas: I encourage the city to provide garbage collection, provision of sharps containers, chemical-treated toilets (e.g. porta-potties), and handwashing facilities that are regularly maintained, easily accessible, and visible. The health department is willing to explore a partnership with the City of Bozeman on the safe disposal of sharps, if necessary. Advocacy for Affordable Housing I encourage you to listen to those who are currently urban camping and how the ordinance as proposed will impact them. I also encourage you to continue to work with partners across the continuum and find opportunities and effective measures, like permanent supportive housing, which is more likely to represent an exit from homelessness and reduce the number of people living in the city’s right of way. I am willing to support and participate in these conversations as a partner and an advocate. Thank you for your time today, as always, if you wish to discuss any of these recommendations in greater detail please reach out. Respectfully, Lori Christenson Health Officer Gallatin City-County Health Department Lori Christenson, MPH, RS / Health Officer GALLATIN CITY-COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ______________________________________ P 406 582 3100/ E lori.christenson@gallatin.mt.gov Confidentiality Notice: This communication is intended solely for the use of the individual or organization to whom it is addressed. The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and destroy this message. If you are not the intended recipient, you should not use, copy, alter, or disclose the contents of this message. All information or opinions expressed in this message and/or any attachments are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Gallatin City-County Health Department (GCCHD). GCCHD accepts no responsibility for loss or damage arising from its use.