Court hears arguments on homeless camp ban

Ohio’s First District Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday in a case that has the potential to end Hamilton County’s controversial homeless camp ban. Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Ruehlman issued the ban in August. It prohibits outdoor homeless camps from public and private property throughout Hamilton County as long as local shelters have space to accommodate people experiencing homelessness. Proponents of the ban have argued that local homeless shelters have space, but many advocates for the homeless say the shelters are almost always over capacity.