Editorial: Stop abusing the rights of the homeless

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005 | 9:03 a.m.

It's obviously been too much to ask of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Clark County to work together to create a sustainable plan for homeless people, of whom there are thousands in the Las Vegas Valley. With no local-government plan in effect, the majority of homeless people have no place to go except vacant lots. Their only option is to pitch camps at various locations until officials drive them off -- oftentimes before they can even gather up all of their possessions.

Last week, for example, North Las Vegas officials ordered the city's Public Works Department, along with its police department, to break up a homeless camp on Owens Avenue, across from the Salvation Army building. In doing so, the city's cleanup crew removed personal possessions and hauled them to the municipal dump. The city justified its action on the fact that the homeless people had been given advance notice of the cleanup and should have vacated the premises on their own. "If they would have left the day before ... they would have been able to keep their things," North Las Vegas Police spokesman Tim Bedwell told the Sun.

Losing their few and treasured possessions during cleanup sweeps is a fact of life for homeless people. Last month the state Transportation Department swept through a homeless encampment under a bridge at Wilson Avenue and F street in Las Vegas. The personal possessions of more than 100 people were removed and dumped. In another instance, in September o2003, Metro Police and officials of the Las Vegas Neighborhood Services Department hauled away the personal belongings of about 20 homeless people. Lost forever in such actions are medical records, work uniforms, family photos, identification cards, medications, birth certificates, Social Security cards and other essential items.

In our view, destroying the possessions of homeless people -- the poorest of the poor -- is the ultimate in heartlessness. Aside from the human factor, such actions violate the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, which protect against seizure of personal property without warrants, probable cause and due process. In reaction to the latest incident, North Las Vegas city officials promised to "follow up on any allegations of misconduct by employees or mistreatment of individuals and take appropriate action."

We believe an appropriate action for all local governments would be to adopt strict policies governing the personal property of homeless people. If the property must be removed for health or safety reasons, it should be taken to a secure location where homeless people could recover it. In the absence of any responsible plan for assisting homeless people, this is the least that local governments could do.