The City of Miami recently approved a preliminary law that would make it illegal for homeless people to erect tents on public sidewalks.
The law also prohibits setting up blankets and pillows on sidewalks, whichconcerned homeless advocates and prompted criticism that the city was criminalizing homelessness.
Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff said he understands those concerns and will reconsider the part of the ordinance that addresses blankets and pillows during the final vote next week.
"The homeless, with regard to bedrolls or pillows or other things, is not really a primary concern for us so we’ll probably exclude that from second reading of the ordinance," says Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, who represents downtown Miami.
Sarnoff says homeless individuals have been setting up tents downtown in recent months and calls it a public safety concern.
The Miami Commission will take up the so called anti-camping ordinance on March 12.
