Politics
Norman camping proposal would let police remove unauthorized camps without guaranteed shelter
Norman is weighing a ban on camping across city-controlled public spaces as Cleveland County prepares to put two deputies on patrol near state property. The proposal calls for coordination with service providers but does not require shelter to be available before citations or camp removals.
NORMAN, Okla. — Norman city leaders are considering an ordinance that would prohibit camping on city-owned or controlled property, including parks, sidewalks, trails and rights-of-way. The proposal would let police issue citations and remove unauthorized campsites, but it would not require the city to secure shelter for people before enforcement begins.
The debate is unfolding alongside a Cleveland County plan to add patrols near a former homeless encampment. The county approved $171,456.15 for a Sheriff’s Office patrol program focused on areas in and around state-owned property. Two additional deputies are scheduled to start Nov. 1 and, under the agreement, will coordinate with local organizations to connect people with services.
Norman Care-A-Vans board member Stephen Ellis said the proposed ban could force people experiencing homelessness to move without addressing their lack of housing. “This ordinance ratchets up the pressure on people to keep moving along when they don't have any place to go,” he said.
The measure would also restrict belongings arranged or stored in a way that indicates an intent to camp overnight or for an extended period. City officials have argued that clearer rules could help address safety concerns and problems associated with unmanaged encampments. One official said those sites can become public nuisances.
The proposal follows an August operation in which Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers cleared an encampment near Norman’s Food & Shelter as part of Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Operation SAFE.
Ellis said shelters and housing programs are already stretched thin and warned that additional enforcement could shift people from one location to another. The ordinance would require the city to coordinate with shelters, outreach groups and other service providers to offer assistance to people affected. It does not, however, make shelter placement a condition of issuing a citation or removing a camp.
The mayor said the City Council directed the Norman Police Department to develop a written policy describing how officers would coordinate with service providers before enforcement. The ordinance has not been approved and could return to the council for consideration in late November, after that policy is developed.