Florence council adopts urban-camping ordinance after debate over resources and enforcement

Florence City Council voted during its December meeting to adopt a second-reading ordinance amending Chapter 17 of the city code to add provisions addressing improper use of public places and urban camping.

The measure, presented as bill 2025-39, was read into the record and passed by voice vote. Speakers during the public-comment period — including Tommy Campbell, chair of the mayor’s coalition for No One Unsheltered (NOU), and Suzanne La Rochelle — urged the council to pair enforcement with resources such as shelter placement, outreach and officer training. Campbell said the coalition has seen a roughly 300% increase in homelessness over three years and asked that officers be trained and provided resources when they encounter people living in public spaces. “We stand behind it and support it 100%,” Campbell said while urging training and additional resources for police.

Suzanne La Rochelle warned council members that, without shelter availability, citations would be unfair and could amount to criminalizing people who are unhoused. She recommended a day hub with charging stations, lockers and running water and urged a phased approach of outreach and warning before enforcement: “If there’s not some place for these people to go, it’s not fair to cite them for sleeping,” she said.

Council members and staff responded by saying the city had met with local homeless-service organizations during executive-session follow-ups and that the policy was designed to prioritize warnings and referrals, not immediate arrests. City staff stated that the city’s process has historically used arrest as a last resort and described plans to coordinate with shelters and, when needed, transport people to those facilities. Council also noted an existing homeless court referral mechanism intended to connect people with programs rather than imposing lasting criminal penalties.

What happens next: The ordinance was adopted on second reading at the meeting. Council members asked staff to continue coordinating with local providers, consider additional training for officers and examine options for a community resource or day hub to expand non-punitive assistance.

Provenance: Topic introduced at the ordinance reading and public comment beginning with SEG 354 and concluding with council responses at SEG 670. All quotes and attributions are taken from the public-comment and council-discussion segments in the official transcript.