Your county government is approaching homelessness with compassion, community services, communications, and code enforcement. Recently, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners voted to approve an Ordinance that will promote the safe use of public property.
Ordinance (O-023-002), effective July 27, 2023, limits public camping and prohibits temporary structures on public property. The Ordinance is intended to regulate the use of public lands and public health, but will not allow for ticketing of people experiencing homelessness when a shelter is not available. Read on for frequently asked questions on this topic.
Ordinance 23-02 will prohibit camping or erecting a tent on county property without written permission from the county.
The intent of Ordinance 23-02 is to provide for public health and safety while providing for the lawful use of public land.
No one should camp on land they do not own unless it is clearly posted camping is permitted or they have permission from an authorizing party to camp on the property.
Ordinance 23-02 only applies to unincorporated areas of Douglas County on property owned by the County. It does not apply to privately owned property, municipal or city-owned property, state property (including state parks or highways), or Federal Property. Title 32 Special Districts (such as water or metro districts) within Douglas County can obtain a trespass letter similar to what private businesses can use when someone repeatedly comes to a property. Local municipalities may develop their own ordinances.
The Ordinance was adopted on the second and final reading on June 27, 2023. The effective date of the Ordinance is July 27, 2023.
Under Ordinance 23-02, a shelter does not need to be available in Douglas County to enforce the prohibition. Douglas County can work with shelters in other neighboring municipalities to ensure there is an available shelter.
Under Ordinance 23-02, if there is no alternative shelter available, the party violating the prohibition cannot be cited for the offense.
Please visit the Douglas County Homeless Initiative web page by clicking here.
Please visit the Douglas County Homeless Initiative’s How to Help web page.
