Officials Defend Changes To Downtown Madison Benches

Officials Say Changes Don't Target Homeless

Updated: 1:44 pm CDT August 8, 2009

MADISON, Wis. -- A city planner and downtown group are defending the need to retrofit some benches near the Capitol Square so that they are now virtually impossible to sleep on.

The city of Madison Parks Division recently installed wooden dividers on about a dozen older, 8-foot-long brick city benches around the Capitol Square. The dividers make it impossible for anyone, including homeless people, to lie down and nap.

Critics of the changes to the benches said it sends a clear message about the homeless in Madison.

But a city planner and a downtown group insisted they are not targeting the homeless, only the "bad behavior" of sleeping on benches meant for sitting.

City Planning ordered the Parks Division to make the change after hearing from the Downtown Madison Business Improvement District, or BID.

BID spokeswoman Mary Carbine said residents and others were complaining they couldn't use the brick benches because others were sleeping on them.

Carbine said it's not about targeting the homeless, only the bad behavior of sleeping on benches meant for sitting. But others disagree.

"I think it sends a very strong message that we don't want homeless people hanging out in our public spaces and we don't want them in our downtown area because, you know, businesses and others don't like that and people feel afraid. I don't really think there's any reason to feel afraid because someone's homeless," said Brenda Konkel, director of the Tenant Resource Center.

City Planning says the dividers are a temporary solution until they are replaced with new metal ones that match benches on State Street. Those benches are shorter than the brick ones.

Konkel said the dividers show what a "dismal failure" the homeless system is.

She said that instead of dividers, the city should concentrate on getting more shelters, beds and staff, especially during this economy.

She said the homeless have already been forced out of many places, like Brittingham Park, and that those who've run out of shelter nights have no where to go.