Article Summary –
The Missoula City Council has approved new regulations restricting camping on city property, effective July 25, to address health, safety, and environmental issues, despite concerns from service providers and community members who argue that these measures will negatively impact the homeless population without providing adequate alternatives. The rules introduce specific buffer zones where camping is prohibited, mandate that tents be taken down from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and implement a vehicle camping permit system. The city plans to offer support programs and resources for the homeless, and the regulations will be reviewed annually, starting potentially in January 2025, to ensure they are effective and humane.
Nearly a year after declaring a state of emergency over homelessness, Missoula City Council approved controversial rules restricting camping on city property.
Effective July 25, the rules limit where and when people can camp on city property, such as parks and streets.
Supporters argue the restrictions are necessary to address health, safety, and environmental concerns related to unsheltered camping. Council members emphasized these rules are just part of the city’s response to homelessness, including added bathrooms, safe parking, and designated camping spaces.
Service providers and community members worry the restrictions make it harder for the vulnerable population without stable alternatives.
The rules passed on a 10-2 vote after a nearly nine-hour meeting, with Daniel Carlino and Kristen Jordan opposed, citing concerns the restrictions will exacerbate homelessness and counter service provider recommendations.
“We need authorized campsites and resources before moving people around,” Carlino said. “Ordinances like this prolong homelessness and don’t solve the issue.”
Council members supporting the regulations said they improve upon Missoula’s previous law banning all camping. The city had not enforced this due to a 9th U.S. Circuit Court ruling against criminalizing homelessness without adequate shelter, which was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court last Friday, the Associated Press reported.
Mayor Andrea Davis called the new rules “phase one” of a plan that will be evaluated and adjusted as needed.
“No one city has mastered this. We are managing this with compassion and accountability,” Davis said. “We will try initiatives to mitigate survival camping impacts and re-evaluate as needed.”
The new law establishes buffer zones, banning camping within 100 feet of a residential dwelling, a business or nonprofit entrance, 300 feet of schools, daycares, shelters, safe parking sites, designated camping sites, and within conservation lands. Tents must be taken down from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day.
The law also sets up a vehicle camping permit system allowing up to 90 days of parking before moving to a different street. Enforcement includes referrals to shelters or temporary housing before any action, with first violations receiving written warnings. Municipal infractions may incur fines up to $300 for repeat offenses, though the city aims to help violators comply instead of charging fines, City Attorney Ryan Sudbury said.
City staff are creating a map showing where unhoused individuals can camp and locations of shelters and resources, said Parks and Recreation director Donna Gaukler. The city is also planning for more bathrooms, trash cans, and syringe disposals.
The law directs the mayor to develop support programs for unsheltered Missoulians, including storage lockers, trash collection, and bathrooms. It calls for investigating designated camping and parking sites on city or private property.
In 2022, Missoula and Missoula County ran an authorized camping site on Reserve Street for about 11 months before shutting it down due to budget constraints. Mayor Davis acknowledged the challenge of providing designated camping spaces but emphasized ongoing efforts to find solutions, including more bathrooms and possible safe parking locations.
The council amended the regulations to require an annual review, with the first possibly in January 2025.
Missoula has seen a spike in homelessness since the COVID-19 pandemic increased living costs. As of April, 622 households were experiencing homelessness, with 30 to 40% unsheltered. Last June, the council approved an emergency declaration and a 90-day ordinance closing city-owned parks and trails from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Discussions to make it permanent were tabled due to criticism.
Parks Director Gaukler said the city hasn’t been enforcing its camping ban but asks people to move for trail obstructions or unsafe situations. Notices are posted six days ahead of cleanups.
The new law is based on recommendations from the Urban Camping Working Group, which included Mayor Davis, council members, business representatives, and service providers. Ten of the 24 group members requested safe camping and parking sites with basic services before enforcement.
Seven organizations, including the Poverello Center and Missoula YWCA, voiced similar concerns in a letter to the council, particularly about the 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. camping ban, which they said would harm individuals striving for stability.
“This will hinder their ability to apply for jobs, attend medical appointments, and access basic amenities,” the letter stated. The public voiced similar concerns during Monday’s meeting.
Melanie Brock, Missoula Midtown Association executive director, supported the regulations as a necessary step for a safer environment, citing concerns from businesses and residents near MRL Park and the Bitterroot Trail.
“We must address the negative impacts of urban camping on health, safety, and accessibility for residents and businesses,” Brock said. Others argued that the buffers and time restrictions would confuse and limit areas for unhoused individuals while urging the council to heed service provider concerns.
John Rhoades, Missoula community organizer for Montana Women Vote, said, “Pushing people around the city and away from medical providers will increase emergency room visits and criminal system entries, costing the government and taxpayers.”
Mayor Davis clarified that while tents must come down at 8 a.m., people are not asked to leave the parks.
Council member Amber Sherrill emphasized that while shelters don’t work for everyone, there are open beds that need to be used.
As of March, Missoula had 513 emergency shelter beds, plus transitional housing, not sufficient to meet the community’s needs. The Poverello Center could fit 25 more people, and Johnson Street could fit another 50, but the shelters don’t meet total demand.
Jill Bonny, Poverello Center Executive Director, said people avoid shelters for various reasons, and enforcing buffer zones without alternatives won’t help them get housed. She hopes more people come to shelters under the new rules but worries some will move away from services and into wildfire risk areas.
David Quattrocchi, an organizer with the Missoula Tenants Union, said the lack of clarity on enforcement and the confusing buffers and time restrictions are concerning for unhoused individuals.
“It’s unhealthy for people to live under such stress and uncertainty,” he said. Without a consistent location, connecting with service workers is challenging, jeopardizing care and recovery plans.
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