ACLU of West Virginia files lawsuit against City of Wheeling due to camping ban

Wheeling, WV (WOAY) – The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia (ACLU) announces it is taking legal action against the city of Wheeling over its camping ban. 

Wheeling officials approved the legislation in November, making it illegal to camp on any street, sidewalk, alley, easement, or other public spaces without a permit from the city manager.

According to an ACLU press release, the organization gave the city 96 hours to stop the ban before going to the courts.

ACLU filed a federal lawsuit to block the ordinance in the city’s district court on Tuesday, stating that the ban is criminalizing being homeless in public. 

The union reports that the Wheeling City Council met on Tuesday night to discuss the ban briefly but ultimately took no action to pause it.