Houston Police Officer Jeff Richard waits as his colleague grabs a ticket for Food Not Bombs volunteer Shere Dore after the group fed homeless people Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at the Houston Public Library’s Julia Ideson Building in downtown Houston.
Jon Shapley/Staff photographer
Houston Chronicle
By Renee Yan
This week, Houston judges dismissed the cases against volunteers trying to feed the unhoused population near a downtown library, but city officials are not letting the issue slide. Shortly after the judges made their ruling, Houston City Attorney Arturo Michel issued a followup statement announcing his intention to refile the dropped cases, reported Houston Public Media's Patricia Ortiz this weekend.
The conflict first caught public attention after the Houston Police Department cited members of a charitable organization, Food Not Bombs, for trying to provide meals for the unhoused back in March of this year, per Ortiz.
The city has had an ordinance restricting how volunteers can feed people since 2012, but it's gone largely unenforced until recently, The Houston's Chronicle's R.A. Schuetz wrote. The rule stipulates that a person must obtain permission from a property owner before providing food to groups larger than five.
As of Wednesday, members of Food Not Bombs have collectively accumulated 47 tickets for allegedly violating this ordinance, according to ABC 13's Mycah Hatfield. The group reacted to Michel's announcement on Facebook, calling it a "waste of tax dollars" that clogs the court system, and asked supporters to attend the next City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 8, to voice their dissent during open session.
So far, Houston's citations against the volunteers have proved mostly fruitless. One person was found not guilty in late July, and others had their cases dismissed Thursday after Houston police officers who were subpoenaed in the cases failed to show up in court. But according to Michel's statement to Houston Public Media, the city's pursuit of these cases boils down to a "health and safety" concern.
"There have been complaints and incidents regarding the congregation of the homeless around the library, even during off hours," Michel said. "The City has carefully balanced competing concerns, ensuring through its own program and through its significant allocation of funds that there are alternative, nearby feeding locations that have been well attended and well received."
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also defended the refusal to drop the cases on Friday morning. In a series of social posts, the mayor wrote, "The city is not opposed to groups feeding those who are homeless. But doing it in front of the central library is discouraging families, children and others from using it. After people provide the food, they leave but those who are homeless camp around the library and stay."
Turner added that library patrons and employees are being "harassed" and that residents are choosing to decline events there because of the loitering unhoused population.
"The city cannot afford to lose the downtown central library because Houstonians and employees no longer feel comfortable/safe in using it. It is not and cannot be viewed as a homeless shelter. If that becomes the use or the perception, the entire city loses," Turner posted, adding that officials are working with Bread of Life, Inc. to better address the need.
"There have been complaints and incidents regarding the congregation of the homeless around the library, even during off hours. … The City has carefully balanced competing concerns, ensuring through its own program and through its significant allocation of funds that there are alternative, nearby feeding locations that have been well attended and well received," Michel said. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also defended the refusal to drop the cases on Friday morning. In a series of tweets, he posted, "The city is not opposed to groups feeding those who are homeless. But doing it in front of the central library is discouraging families, children and others from using it. After people provide the food, they leave but those who are homeless camp around the library and stay." He added that library patrons and employees are being "harassed" and that residents are choosing to decline events there because of the loitering unhoused population. "The city cannot afford to lose the downtown central library because Houstonians and employees no longer feel comfortable/safe in using it. It is not and cannot be viewed as a homeless shelter. If that becomes the use or the perception, the entire city loses," he tweeted. Turner said that officials are working with Bread of Life, Inc. to better address the need.Despite this alternative option, Food Not Bombs volunteers indicated to ABC 13 that they do not plan to move their operations. "It is ridiculous," said Aliene Wingate Adams, whose case was one of those dismissed this past week. "They are criminalizing people who are trying to help people."