Madison’s Equal Opportunities Commission discussed the proposed homeless protected class ordinance at a meeting Thursday to evaluate the necessity of the resolution.
The ordinance seeks to create a protected class of homeless community members to diminish discrimination. More specifically, the ordinance forbids certain behaviors listed on the House the Homeless webpage that represent unfair treatment against homeless individuals.
The city of Madison would have to forbid establishments from denying homeless citizens access to food at certain eateries or restaurants, according to House the Homeless. Additionally, homeless citizens would not be denied lease applications or employment opportunities for lacking permanent housing if this ordinance passes.
Members of the commission recalled a time when a homeless citizen had her belongings impounded by police without proper explanation. Committee members expressed their concern for the misrepresentation of homeless citizens. Commission members said they expect the ordinance to improve the status of homeless citizens in Madison.
Zach Brandon, president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, spoke during the meeting on behalf of Madison’s business community. Brandon addressed the fact that Madison has an abundance of protected classes, which do not sustain significant improvements in the city.
“The number of protected classes has grown,” Brandon said. “What was once the model for the country, as far as forcing the country to acknowledge the need for this type of ordinance, is almost taken for granted now.”
If the ordinance prevents employers from denying applications, businesses could potentially be wrongfully accused of discrimination. Brandon said employers want to select workers based on qualifications. This ordinance has the potential to skew the process if employers want to avoid accusations of discrimination.
Brandon also explained how little the ordinance will affect the status of homeless citizens in Madison. Brandon said although the ordinance will attempt to minimize discrimination against homeless citizens, it does not solve the reason citizens become homeless.
“We’ve fallen in love with a solution instead of falling in love with the problem and the problem isn’t achievement, the problem is opportunity,” Brandon said.
Brandon suggested the commission should focus on providing affordable housing, encouraging education and offering drug and alcohol intervention programs to diminish the numbers of the homeless community.
