Shelton council moves camping ordinance toward June public hearing after months of debate

The Shelton City Council on May 20 scheduled a June 3 public hearing on proposed changes to city code that would remove a shelter-availability requirement for misdemeanor enforcement of public camping, after wide-ranging public comment and a council motion to tie further action to the city budget.

Supporters of keeping protective language in the code and residents living outside urged the council to seek shelter and service solutions instead of criminal penalties, while business owners and some residents urged removal of encampments from parks and downtown.

City Manager Mark Ziegler told the council the draft edits to Shelton Municipal Code Chapter 8.74 remove the subsection that limited misdemeanor enforcement to cases where indoor shelter was available. “Since that, the United States Supreme Court, ruled back in 2024 that local ordinances imposing those criminal penalties on acts like public sleeping or camping do not violate the Eighth Amendment's cruel and unusual punishment even shelter space is available,” Ziegler said, describing why the city is updating the code.

Public commenters presented sharply different views. Lathan Hillen France urged the council not to criminalize poverty, warning enforcement would be costly and would add court and defender expenses. “We need to move in the direction of uplifting support of our most vulnerable community members and compassionate community building instead of down the dark road of criminalizing poverty and suffering,” France said. Quan Barker, who works at Youth Connection, described the Housing First model and said it “works and it should be expanded to all individuals experiencing homelessness.”

Other speakers blamed encampment conditions for public-safety and quality-of-life problems downtown and in Brewer Park. Nathan Snow and local business owner Holly Capone said downtown businesses and retirees were harmed by visible camping and drug activity. Multiple residents described safety risks for people sleeping outdoors, including sexual assaults and trafficking allegations shared by a speaker who said they had been raped while unhoused.

Council members questioned practical consequences of enforcement. Several asked where people would go if a camping prohibition were enforced and how much enforcement would cost in jail housing, officer time, and court proceedings. Council discussion included whether any action should wait until the council completes this year’s budget process.

Council members agreed to hold a study session May 27 to collect written questions for staff on enforcement costs, police impacts, and outreach, and to schedule a public hearing on June 3. The council asked the city manager to prepare written responses in advance of that study session. The motion to place the item on the June 3 action agenda for a public hearing carried.