A new camping ban ordinance went into effect on June 11 in Greeley after the city council passed the measure 5-2 in its meeting on June 3. The ordinance enacts penalties of up to one year in jail and up to $1,000 in fines. In February, the city held an informational meeting about the potential ordinance with staff from Homeless Solutions, Greeley Police, Public Works, and the City Attorney’s Office.
The ordinance criminalizes sleeping in vehicles and setting up tents in public spaces. The Supreme Court ruled in the 2024 case City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson that cities have the right to enforce camping restrictions, even if there aren’t enough shelter beds for homeless community members.
Bobbier Cranston, a senior attorney with the City Attorney’s Office said during the meeting in February that “some cities will look at camping and waste deposits near rivers, and so they’ll specifically prohibit that area because of the health and safety risk. They’ll also prohibit camping in parks and natural areas.”
The health and safety risks include fire hazards and public health threats. “Open fires near vegetation can quickly spread, human waste introduced E. Coli to our waterways and damage to our riverbanks… cause future flooding risks,” said Deputy Public Works Director Will Jones. Jones also referred to a 2022 fire under the 11th Avenue and Poudre River bridge that cost the city $100,000. Somebody had brought a stove underneath the bridge, and Jones said propane takes and other types of fire materials are frequently found in these unsanctioned camping areas.
Lucas, a resident and a member of the outreach team, expressed concerns about where the homeless individuals in the community would go after a camping ban takes effect. “If we implement a camping ban, my question is where are they supposed to go,” he said. “If they don’t have a place to live, if they don’t have support… are we just going to keep on sending people to jail over and over again? Ethically, morally, any way you look at it, it doesn’t make sense to implement a camping ban when we have no plan for more shelter.”
Greeley Police Chief Adam Turk suggested there would be a tiered enforcement strategy. “We start with outreach and education, verbal compliance, written citations, and then arrest as a last resort,” Turk said.
Turk also described the challenges with providing resources to homeless individuals. "Not everyone wants the resources, the support, and the housing,” he said. “So, what is that extra tool in the toolbox that we can do for those people who know the rules and the laws better than some of our police officers?"
Weld County enacted a similar camping ban in 2023. Boulder County has had a camping ban in place since 1980. That ban received a legal challenge that was dismissed in December 2024 by District Court Judge Robert R. Gunning. Judge Gunning referenced the Supreme Court case from 2024 as the precedent.
