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City attorney proposes anti‑camping ordinance after Supreme Court ruling; council asks for enforcement policy details
Summary
Senior deputy city attorney presented a draft ordinance that would ban camping and storage on public property consistent with the Supreme Court’s Johnson v. Grants Pass decision. Council asked staff to clarify enforcement timing, private property interactions and options for a policy to guide officers.
Senior Deputy City Attorney Brandy Law presented a draft ordinance to the Hampton City Council on May 20 that would prohibit camping, sleeping or storing items on public property and allow city staff to remove unattended property used for camping after a prior warning and offer of services.
Law told council the draft responds to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson v. Grants Pass, in which the court held that broadly applicable anti‑camping laws do not necessarily violate the Eighth Amendment when they are written to apply to anyone rather than targeting people because they are homeless. Law said the proposed ordinance defines “camp” and “store,” excepts authorized uses and unoccupied vehicles, and allows immediate seizure of unattended items that meet the…
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