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Homeless pitch tents in public lot; city says it's legal

Some of the homeless have pitched tents in a vacant public lot in Lubbock, Texas, and the city says as long as the people don't break any laws or pose a threat to public safety, they can stay.

"It is not against the law for those people to be there. It is only a violation of the law when they start violating the laws already on the books in Lubbock," said city councilman Paul Beane.

Clifford Van Loan, who has been homeless since May, says he hopes those who join him on the lot will act responsibly so this will be a place the homeless are welcome. "If you're out on the street, you should not be a wild animal. That's one of the problems we had at the library and we don't want that to happen here," he said.

The Carpenter's Church is loaning the tents, in exchange for signing a sheet stating there will be no alcohol or drug use and the area will be kept clean.

Read the KCBD report here.

Full post as published by the 13th juror on January 11, 2011 (boomark / email).