Sponsors
The bill aims to clear public spaces and reduce maintenance costs, but does so by criminalizing unsheltered people—imposing legal and economic burdens, increasing safety risks for vulnerable individuals, and adding enforcement costs for local governments.
People who use public spaces in urban communities will likely experience clearer, less obstructed sidewalks and parks, increasing perceived safety and ease of use.
Local governments and communities may face fewer damages and lower maintenance costs to public property and infrastructure from camping activities.
People experiencing homelessness will face criminal fines or jail for sleeping in public, increasing immediate legal and financial hardship.
Criminalization and penalties (fines and records) will create longer‑term barriers to employment and housing, making it harder for affected people to exit homelessness.
Enforcement is likely to push unsheltered people into more hidden, dangerous locations, worsening their health and safety risks.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced July 29, 2025 by Thomas Bryant Cotton · Last progress July 29, 2025
Makes it illegal to "camp" on public property in the District of Columbia by defining "camp" as using any material to set up, maintain, or establish a temporary place of abode. Violators may be fined up to $500, jailed for up to 30 days, or both; the rule applies to any person who commits the prohibited conduct in the District of Columbia.