Shawnee passes 'No Sit, No Lie' ordinance aimed at downtown area

SHAWNEE, Okla. (KFOR) - A new ordinance aimed at Shawnee's downtown area could impact the city's unhoused population.

The measure will only apply to downtown Shawnee from the area between Kickapoo and Harrison and Highland South to 7th Street, and bans sleeping outdoors as well as sitting, lying down or placing items along any right of way.

The 'No Sit, No Lie' ordinance was voted in by city leaders six to one during a Monday commissioners' meeting, but not before community members spoke out for and against the plans.

"I don't feel safe down here like I used to," said one man during the public comment period.

"Please vote 'no' on the ordinance. It's deeply disturbing," countered another, adding that the ordinance promoted "knee-jerk reactions" over "sanity and humanity".

Speaking in the meeting Monday, Shawnee City Manager Andrea Weckmueller-Behringer said the ordinance is intended to promote support business, keep areas accessible, and maintain a safe environment for area residents.

"We absolutely want to continue helping our unhoused neighbors, at the same time we do need to protect those property owners who call Shawnee home," she said.

One woman in attendance at Monday's meeting with her children said the ordinance could be masking a problem that could be addressed in other ways.

"We were homeless last year as a family and we were considered one of the lucky homeless because we at least had a car to sleep in," said Shannon Woodruff.

"Having laws in place without a solution or alternatives doesn't do any good [and] this is a horrible idea," she added saying the new law could be an obstacle for people who need critical help finding physical homes or jobs.

Explaining the depth of the problem in dollars and cents, another woman said the new ordinance comes at a steep cost for both the city's unhoused population and taxpayers.

"It cost taxpayers more than $31,000 a year to criminalize a single person suffering from homelessness...do we really want to spend more of our taxpayer dollars incarcerating people," she asked.

The new ordinance will take effect on January 17.

Violation of the ordinance would lead to a small fine, but city leaders said the new measure will not impede or replace any progras currently in place or planned to served the unhoused Shawnee community.