Some calling for tearing down tents that quarantine homeless people in southern Indiana

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Some community members are pushing to remove tents that are intended to quarantine southern Indiana's homeless population.

"Many people within city government had issues with the tents going up," said Jeffersonville City Councilman Dustin White. "Once they went up, I started receiving calls and complaints from the community."

Two large white tents are outside of Catalyst Rescue Mission as part of the shelter's COVID-19 pandemic response.

"From a human rights issue, it's inhumane for people to be living in tents in the United States of America," said White. "For those who don't feel that way, then we have to enforce our zoning codes."

Clark County Health Officer Dr. Eric Yazel said the shelter worked with the health department to put up tents on a temporary basis.

"The neighborhood wanted the tents down, understandably so. There are zoning concerns through the city and just a lot of issues," said Yazel. "I think that's where some of the consternation came from."

WDRB reached out to the shelter's director, Jim Moon, and did not receive a response. But part of a Facebook statement reads: "Elected officials take the responsibility to help the community in which they serve work toward solutions that are effective for everyone, and to not become part of the problem."

This week, the city of Jeffersonville will allocate $10,000 to help the shelter transition people out of the tents and into a hotel. Yazel said The Red Carpet Inn, off Interstate 65, will quarantine those who need it, starting next week.

"In this scenario everybody wins," said Yazel. "The homeless population gets the gold standard care if they're ill, they're in a place sanitary with its own bathroom. The neighborhood wins, the city wins, we (the health department) win. It's good for everybody involved."