Local Governments Adopt, Consider Shelter, Housing, Cannabis Rules

Two cities are considering new restrictions on services for people experiencing homelessness. In Wilmington, planning staff proposed limiting where daytime shelters can operate and requiring conditional rezoning, but the planning commission split 3-3; the proposal followed opposition to Living Hope Day Center’s planned move, which the organization has since withdrawn. In Jefferson City, officials and community members debated a proposed ordinance covering overnight shelters, severe-weather shelters, soup kitchens and daytime resource centers. The measure, advanced to the City Council, would require annual permits and impose safety plans, minimum staffing, surveillance and record-keeping requirements, prompting discussion about how the rules could affect existing services.