Portable toilet at center of homeless dispute

Thursday, April 4, 2002 | 11:09 a.m.

The struggle between the city of Las Vegas and the homeless who were swept March 25 from a camp at Foremaster Lane and Main Street has come down to a Porta-Potty.

The portable bathroom was placed a week ago on A Street near Owens Avenue, the site of a growing camp of about 20 tents that has risen after the sweep of the larger camp nearby.

It was part of an effort by advocates, the private sector and the homeless to prevent the health hazard that Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said caused the earlier sweep, after garbage and feces fouled downtown sidewalks and streets.

But the city of Las Vegas said Wednesday that the Porta-Potty must go, since it is violating a public right of way on city-owned land.

It is located against a fence beside the camp's tents on a strip of land that sees little to no pedestrian traffic.

The decision caused dismay on A Street and among those supporting the effort.

"It seems like the city is saying one thing and doing another," said Linda Lera-Randle El, director of Straight from the Streets, a nonprofit outreach program and part of the cleanup at the new camp.

"The mayor pointed out a problem with the sweep and we're trying to help solve that problem here -- if they're serious about not creating a health hazard, can't they meet us somewhere in the middle?" she said.

The Porta-Patty was rented by Brother David Buer, a Franciscan friar and director of a center that feeds the homeless. MGM MIRAGE donated garbage bags, anti-bacterial soap and other materials. An unidentified man arrives every morning to pick up garbage placed in bags by the curb. And the homeless men and women in the camp have been sweeping and raking the site.

"The idea of cleaning up this site seemed proactive and worth supporting," Tina Roth, director of corporate philanthropy for MGM MIRAGE, said.

"It involves the homeless men and women taking responsibility for themselves ... while creatively trying to find a solution to an issue posed by the city," she said.

Goodman said he would not let a health hazard exist on A Street, but that the Porta-Potty also wouldn't be allowed to obstruct a public right of way.

He also said the businesses in the area are complaining about the homeless camp.

The homeless men and women on A Street question the city's motive.

"If they move the bathroom, we'll have the same predicament as we did at the other camp, and the same health hazard will occur," said Tyree Daniel, who was moved from the previous site at Foremaster and Main.

"The whole thing in a nutshell seems to be that the mayor doesn't want to work with the homeless. I mean, if we kept this camp clean, would he leave us alone?"