Houston volunteers face thousands in fines for feeding homeless

Volunteers with a group that has been feeding Houston’s unhoused population since 1994 are facing a potential $80,000 in fines after a crackdown by local police.

Food Not Bombs is currently disputing 44 tickets issued by Houston police department for giving food to homeless individuals outside of the Houston Public Library. If a jury finds them guilty, they can be fined the maximum penalty of $2,000 per fine, with the group noting they could owe over $80,000 in fines at this point.

The fines stem from a city ordinance passed in 2012 mandating that groups get permission from property owners, even if on public property, to distribute food to more than five people. The ordinance was never enforced, according to the group, until recently. A petition to rescind the law was signed by more than 75,000 people and submitted to the Houston city council in 2015.