ROANOKE: A Virginia county has reversed a ban on sleeping in cars overnight.
The Roanoke Times reports the Wednesday reversal by Roanoke County comes after months of backlash over the February ordinance. The newspaper says the ordinance was decried by people who said it infringed on personal liberties and created additional hardships for those without stable housing.
Officials have said the ordinance was meant to allow the county to intervene in unsafe situations. Hollins District Supervisor Phil North echoed that Wednesday, adding that authorities never planned to punish offenders with the fine specified in the ordinance. No one was ever charged under the ordinance.
North said there’s no point in defending an ordinance the county didn’t intend to apply. County Attorney Peter Lubeck says the public’s opinion influenced the reversal.
(Agencies)
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