The Mobile City Council on Tuesday approved revised ordinances regarding aggressive solicitation, obstructing sidewalks and loitering in parks after dark.

The ordinances were approved unanimously after several weeks of deliberation regarding the changes.

The revisions include updates to existing language and definitions to give police more tools of enforcement.

According to city officials, the primary goal of the revisions is to handle aggressive solicitation, individuals obstructing sidewalks and loitering in public parks after dark or after closing hours.

Penalties for violating each ordinance will result in a fine up to $500, incarceration for six months and the potential for community service.

According to Kendell Young, Mobile‘s Homeless Outreach Coordinator, the revised ordinances were not designed to criminalize the unhoused but help the city’s outreach team try and “divert” people to facilities that could provide the necessary resources.

During the meeting, Rev. Ray Bourn challenged the notion that the revised ordinances would not harm the homeless population. Bourn is the director at Ryan’s Refuge, an outreach shelter for unhoused men.

“You say you’re not causing them any harm, but at the same time, you say they will be fined,” Bourn said. “They’re already homeless. They’re carrying the sign because they want to eat, they want to sleep, they want a peaceful place to lay their head.”

Bourn also stated that he’d be willing to work with the city to devise a plan to help those in need and reduce the likelihood individuals may be fined.

The unhoused population in Mobile is approximately 650 people, according to city officials.