City leaders have approved changes to the city’s no-camping rules to be more accommodating to homeless people when local shelters are full. As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted 4-1, with Mayor Jennifer Ananda opposed, to add an exemption to the city ordinance that currently makes it illegal to camp on public right-of-way. The exemption, aimed at decriminalizing homelessness, would allow people to camp on any public right-of-way or public property downtown when there is no available space at the overnight homeless shelters, according to a city staff memo to the commission.
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