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Hagerstown council approves six-month ordinance banning outdoor lodging on city property
Summary
The Hagerstown Mayor and Council approved an ordinance adding chapter 173-32 to the city code that makes sleeping or lodging outdoors on city-owned public property unlawful; the measure includes a six-month sunset evaluation and applies only to city property, officials said.
HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Hagerstown Mayor and Council voted to adopt an ordinance adding chapter 173-32 to the city code that makes it unlawful for any person to sleep or lodge outdoors in a public place on property owned by the City of Hagerstown.
City officials said the ordinance applies only to city property and includes a sunset provision that requires review by the mayor and council six months after the ordinance’s effective date.
Council members and staff described the measure as an additional enforcement tool rather than a standalone solution. Councilwoman Burnette said she initially opposed the ordinance but supported it after the inclusion of the sunset review and assurances that the city would continue to pair enforcement with outreach and services. “What the outdoor lodging does not do is criminalize people simply because they’re experiencing homelessness,” Burnette said, adding she expects the council to pursue complementary strategies including partnerships and outreach.
City staff and council members emphasized limits to enforcement authority. Officials said the ordinance does not allow Hagerstown police to enforce the provision on county, state or private property and that existing code provisions addressing related conduct remain in force. One council member described the ordinance as “a tool in the toolbox” alongside hotel registration and rental-registration measures previously adopted by the city.
The council passed the ordinance during the special session; no roll-call vote names were stated in the public transcript. The measure includes the six-month automatic sunset unless the mayor and council take action to review or extend it.
Next steps indicated in the meeting record include monitoring implementation during the sunset period and further work by the mayor’s office and department directors on coordinated enforcement, outreach and possible county/state collaboration.
