East Lansing council postpones camping and loitering ordinance after heated public comment

East Lansing City Council on Jan. 6 postponed consideration of ordinance 15-60, a proposed amendment to Ordinance 11-41 that would add rules governing camping in public places and loitering in parking structures, after extended public comment and debate.

Dozens of residents and local advocates spoke during public comment and again during the ordinance hearing, sharply divided over whether the measure would improve downtown safety or criminalize homelessness. Rebecca Kaysen, executive director of the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing, told council, “Do you actually care? Do you actually care about accountability?” and said the ordinance would “criminalize survival” and “treat poverty like a public nuisance.” Resident Matthew Bowden said the changes would punish people “for taking shelter from the elements” and warned that shelters are full.

Chief Jen Brown, who introduced the downtown solutions committee package that includes the camping and loitering provisions, described a service-first approach embedded in the draft. “The proposed camping ordinance requires our officers or other authorized city officials, someone like our social workers, to provide the unhoused person with information about or otherwise assist in the placement of the person voluntarily in an appropriate social service facility or a treatment facility,” she said, noting the department is seeking a third social worker to assist unhoused residents (the position would be 75% DDA-funded).

Council members raised constitutional and enforcement concerns. Several speakers and council members cited legal precedent and the need to narrowly tailor loitering language to avoid overbreadth. Mayor Pro Tem Grigsby and others said they supported a multi-pronged, service-oriented response but wanted firmer legal clarity about the loitering definitions and how officers would enforce the rules without creating unconstitutional outcomes.

Given those concerns, Council Member Meadows moved — and the council voted — to postpone final action on ordinance 15-60 to the first business meeting in February to allow additional legal review and broader council discussion. The postponement was approved by voice vote.

Next steps: staff and the city attorney will prepare follow-up materials and a legal memo for the Feb. 2026 meeting, and council expects continued public engagement before any final vote.