Medford church parking lots to offer car camping to homeless

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – Churches in Medford will soon be able to offer overnight ‘car camping’ in their parking lots to homeless people.

The Mail Tribune reported Monday that currently it is illegal to sleep in a vehicle overnight on the streets of Medford.

Local churches that want to allow homeless people in their parking lots must maintain a 20-foot setback from each vehicle and a bathroom and trash container on site throughout the night.

Some churches don’t have parking lots that are big enough to meet those rules.

The ordinance doesn’t allow tents or other structures to be erected around vehicles and the vehicles must leave the parking lot each day.

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Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/