The Fresno city council voted on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, to approve the installation of two portable toilets and a trash bin at a homeless encampment in downtown Fresno. The 6-1 vote, directing the city manager’s office to provide these facilities, was necessary because the mayor and city manager had not moved forward with an earlier request from the city council on April 10. The city manager, at that time, refused to follow the direction of the city council, leading some to ask who was running the City of Fresno - the elected members of the city council or city manager Andrew Souza. The issue of providing portable toilets and trash bins for the homeless was brought up again at a City Council meeting on April 17. The agenda item, brought up by council member Jerry Duncan, was not voted on because a last minute press conference by the mayor was announced. Mayor Alan Autry announced at the press conference that not only was his administration going to provide portable toilets and trash bins for the homeless, but they were going to establish a “free zone” where homeless people could live, without being harassed. These services were promised within 60 days.

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