Berkeley Council Cracks Down on the Homeless
BERKELEY — After years of serving as a counterculture haven, some in this famously liberal city think it’s time to pull in the welcome mat a bit.
On Tuesday night, the council ratified ordinances banning lying down on some sidewalks and requiring pet owners to have no more than two dogs within a 10-foot limit. The new rules come after complaints by merchants that street youths were harassing shoppers.
The measure that bans lying on sidewalks between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. will expire 16 months after it takes effect and includes $15,000 for new drug detoxification beds.
The dog ordinance is designed to stop people from tethering dogs together and leaving them unattended in parks or allowing them to menace passersby.
The ordinances apply to several streets, including the city’s most famous thoroughfare, Telegraph Avenue. The avenue, which leads to UC Berkeley, was once the stomping grounds of Vietnam War protesters and is known for its cafes, bookstores and street vendors.
The council voted 5-1 in November to tentatively pass the two ordinances. On Tuesday, the final vote was 5-2 with two abstentions.
California law already allows police to clear sidewalks after 10 p.m. The Berkeley ordinance would give police the same ability throughout the day.
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