Dozens express concern to city leaders over homelessness in Homewood

HOMEWOOD, Ala. (WIAT) — It was a packed room for Homewood’s public safety commission meeting. Dozens of concerned Homewood residents showed up to voice their concerns about the city’s unhoused community with city leaders.

The city of Homewood is looking at implementing an ordinance against encampments on public property but some Homewood residents say that alone isn’t enough to address the issue.

“I think we have to look hard. Why do the homeless think they can come here? Why do they think they are welcome to set up camp here?” asked one woman at Monday night’s meeting.

Her concern was echoed by many others throughout the night.

Kaitlin Pierce has lived in Homewood for the last seven years. She says the homelessness wasn’t a problem she paid much attention to until it directly impacted her children.

“My children witnessed an issue. My daughter, 12-year-old, still cries at night that people didn’t come when she needed them,” Pierce said. “She saw a homeless man hit a man on the head that refused to give him money and then he exposed himself right in front of the strip area where they were eating dinner.”

Homewood Police Chief Tim Ross estimates since 2024, interactions with unhoused people in the city have increased by 15%. He says people without a place to live will come to Homewood less and less once ordinances, like the one for encampments, are put in place.

“Some of these suggestions tonight, I really need to look at harder and see if they have value that the council needs to act on,” said Ross. “One of my biggest takeaways is we need to increase our presence in these affected areas. I think uniform presence, police presence in areas that are affected by any types of crime problems or any perceptions of crime problems can always be quelled or at least addressed with more presence from our police department.”

Councilor Andy Gwaltney says he was happy to see so many people show up and bring ideas to the table.

“I took a page of notes of different things that we can do,” said Gwaltney. “Now, many of those things may not be ordinances. They might just be a resolution or it might just be changes to the way we communicate, so I’m really thrilled to get a good group like that in the room that can provide their feedback.”

The city attorney hopes to have the encampment ordinance drafted by next Monday, September 29, so it can go before the city council for a vote.