Encampment Policies and Procedures
Encampments create a public safety and health concern for both the people living within an encampment and the community in the vicinity.
Encampment Policies
Unauthorized camping and the storage of personal belongings on public property creates public safety and health hazards, including heightened risk of fires, criminal activities, illegal dumping, and sanitation issues. Camping also interferes with the rights of people to use public areas for their intended purpose.
Ordinance No. 29064, passed by City Council on October 21, 2025, and Ordinance No. 28831, passed on October 11, 2022, prohibit camping and the storage of personal belongings on public property within:
- 10 blocks of a Temporary or Emergency Shelter located in the “Downtown Zone,” which includes the area north of S. 38th Street, east of S. Union Street, west of the Puyallup River, and south of Commencement Bay;
- Five blocks of a Temporary Shelter or Emergency Shelter located outside of the “Downtown Zone;” and
- Two blocks of a public school serving grades K-12, public park, or public library.
Areas shaded in the map below show where camping and personal belongs storage is banned under current legislation. Click the image to enlarge.
Encampment Procedures
The City of Tacoma inspects and removes unauthorized encampments on a routine basis based on complaints and the conditions of the encampment including health, safety, or infrastructure needs.
Encampments are generally reported through Tacoma FIRST 311. All requests are investigated by the City’s HEAL Team to determine the appropriate method for removing active sites.
At least two weeks before an encampment removal, residents are notified by City of Tacoma staff that they must vacate the area before the removal date. The HEAL Team offers services, while letting residents know the consequences for not complying with encampment removal. It is the City’s priority that the least restrictive voluntary enforcement methods possible are used before enforcement of the ordinance, which has a maximum fine of $250 and a maximum allowable time for imprisonment of 30 days or less.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Information in the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) shall apply to the unauthorized camping or unauthorized storage of personal property on public property within prohibited areas covered by Chapter 8.19 Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC) only. Encampments outside of these prohibited areas shall be addressed under the City’s Encampment Removal Policy. Both policies can be subject to change. Read the Enforcement and Removal Policies and Procedures.
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City staff find or are notified of an encampment site. The City’s HEAL Team visits the site to the next steps. If the site is located within a boundary = where camping is restricted by ordinance, the site is posted with at least two weeks’ notice that the property will be cleaned up. Those living in the encampment are offered assistance finding shelter and services. Sites outside restricted areas facing removal will be posted for a minimum of 72 hours.
On the scheduled cleanup day, a private contractor or City services will clean up the site to meet Tacoma Municipal Code standards for public health and safety. Site Reclamation may occur once the site has been cleaned to help prevent the encampment from returning.
When personal items are removed from an encampment, they are moved to storage at 1421 Puyallup Avenue unless the owner of the items is otherwise notified. Owners of the personal items can then make an appointment through Tacoma FIRST 311 to access and retrieve their stored items.
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Site Reclamation is the process of making public and private spaces safer and more welcoming for people who live or work in the area while discouraging criminal activity and loitering. Site Reclamation is used in conjunction with community outreach and service delivery to help individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness settle into more permanent housing options, as well as reducing blight and increasing public health and safety.