MAPLEWOOD, Mo. — Imagine getting kicked out of your house for more than two calls to 911 for peace disturbance or domestic violence. That's what can happen in Maplewood and now the ACLU is suing to get a nuisance ordinance overturned.
For the people against this ordinance, it's a lot like Maplewood's famous city limit sign: It may have started with good intentions but it's still backward.
And several of those who feel that way showed up Wednesday night to a meeting in a community center to hear from the ACLU and the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council to learn they might get city leaders to repeal the ordinance.
Here's how lawyers for those organizations say it works.
It applies to both renters and homeowners. And one way a nuisance citation can be issued is if a resident calls 911 more than twice in 180 days for a peace disturbance or domestic situation. That can lead to a hearing with the city's public works director and an eviction.
"Aren't those the very people that we want to protect? Don't we want those people to call 911? Isn't that why we have a public system?" asks Kalila Jackson with the EHOC. "These nuisance ordinances shut those people out and make our communities less safe."
The attorneys trying to overturn the ordinance say it targets the disabled, minorities, and women in domestic violence situations.
The city manager tells St. Louis Public Radio the city isn't commenting because of a lawsuit by the ACLU. B he also says the city strongly disagree with the ACLU and EHOC's position on this issue.
