The city put a dumpster in the area for people to toss litter, but the only people who seemed to use it were sheriff\u2019s deputies when they did cleanup efforts, Burke said.<\/p>\n
The Sheriff\u2019s Office previously allowed camping west of city limits. But the camp was closed<\/a> after the city of Durango announced it would open its own camp for homeless residents. But the city reneged on the offer, leaving homeless people without a place to camp.<\/p>\n Sheriff Sean Smith said he is working with other agencies<\/a> to find somewhere else for people without homes to sleep.<\/p>\n The 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Boise, Idaho, ruled earlier this year that making it illegal for someone to sleep on public property when they have nowhere else to go is a violation of the U.S. Constitution\u2019s Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.<\/p>\n The city of Durango acquiesced to the 9th Circuit Court decision in October when it dismissed trespassing charges against eight people without homes. The American Civil Liberties Union has also sent at least one pointed letter to the city urging the city to stop enforcing its camping ban.<\/p>\n