Judge: Burlington Can Shut Down Sears Lane Homeless Encampment [View all]

The City of Burlington may proceed with disbanding the Sears Lane homeless encampment, a Vermont Superior Court judge ruled on Tuesday.

The decision comes days after camp residents Grey Barreda and Alexys Grundy appeared in civil court to ask the judge to stop the forced move-out. The residents had argued that the city's order violated its policy on camp removal, which was adopted in 2019 as part of a settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont .

Judge Samuel Hoar wrote that unlike an ordinance, the city’s policy does not have the force of law.

“On its face, the document is more aspirational than binding,” Hoar wrote, adding that despite the policy being part of a court-approved settlement, “there is no evidence that it was ever incorporated into any consent decree or other court order.”

Read more: https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2021/11/02/judge-burlington-can-shut-down-sears-lane-homeless-encampment