Addressing Public Camping in Greeley

New camping and outdoor storage ordinance effective June 11, 2025.
For the June 3 meeting minutes, agenda and to play the meeting online, visit Greeley's city meeting portal at https://greeleyco.portal.civicclerk.com/(External link).

Below is the official news release from the City of Greeley:

On June 3, Greeley City Council approved a new ordinance that limits camping on public and private property. It also limits the outdoor storage of personal items on public property. The rule is part of a larger effort to deal with concerns about safety, health hazards and damage to public spaces and buildings.

The ordinance (No. 18, 2025) bans unauthorized camping throughout the city and storing of items in public areas. Public spaces include parks, sidewalks, underpasses, and rights-of-way. The ordinance also limits camping on residential private property for more than seven days, per city code. Enforcement will focus on education, outreach and connecting people to available resources before issuing citations or taking enforcement actions.

“Our goal is to keep public spaces safe and accessible for everyone while continuing to support our residents through outreach and services,” said Greeley Police Chief Adam Turk. “This ordinance is about striking a balance. We’ve looked at how other cities across Colorado and the country are approaching these issues, and we’re working to apply those lessons here.”

Ongoing Community Impact
Over the past two years, the city has spent more than $155,000 cleaning up abandoned property, debris and trash around the city, particularly along rivers and waterways. Staff have provided over 700 hours to remove around 60 truck loads of trash from public lands. Complaints from residents, business owners, and park users about safety concerns and damage to property have also increased. Previously, a camp fire beneath a bridge cost the city nearly $100,000 to repair a girder and melted conduit.

Looking Ahead

The City of Greeley will continue a thoughtful and balanced approach as it puts the new camping rule in place. Although the ordinance takes effect June 11, the main goal is increasing public health and safety. The city will begin by educating city employees on what the ordinance is and is not. Then, they will share information with the public. The focus will be on education, awareness, and support over punitive measures.

El 3 de junio, el Concejo Municipal de Greeley aprobó una nueva ordenanza que limita los campamentos en propiedades públicas y privadas. Asimismo, limita el almacenamiento de pertenencias personales al aire libre en espacios públicos. Esta medida forma parte de un esfuerzo más amplio para abordar preocupaciones relacionadas con la seguridad, los riesgos para la salud y el deterioro de espacios y edificios públicos.

La ordenanza (N.º 18, 2025) prohíbe los campamentos no autorizados en toda la ciudad y el almacenamiento de objetos en áreas públicas. Se consideran espacios públicos los parques, aceras, pasos a desnivel y servidumbres de paso. También se limita la posibilidad de acampar en propiedades residenciales privadas por más de siete días, según el código municipal. La aplicación de la normativa se centrará en la educación, el contacto directo y la vinculación de las personas con los recursos disponibles antes de emitir citaciones o iniciar acciones legales.

"Nuestro objetivo es mantener los espacios públicos seguros y accesibles para todos mientras continuamos apoyando a nuestros residentes a través de actividades de divulgación y servicios", dijo Adam Turk, jefe de Policía de Greeley. "Esta ordenanza busca lograr un equilibrio. Hemos analizado cómo otras ciudades de Colorado y del país están abordando estos problemas, y estamos trabajando para implementar lo aprendido aquí".

Impacto comunitario continuo
En los últimos dos años, la ciudad ha gastado más de $155,000 en la limpieza de propiedades abandonadas, desechos y basura en diferentes zonas, especialmente cerca de ríos y cursos de agua. El personal ha dedicado más de 700 horas para retirar aproximadamente 60 cargas de camión de basura de terrenos públicos. También se ha registrado un aumento en las quejas por parte de residentes, propietarios de negocios y usuarios de parques, relacionadas con preocupaciones de seguridad y daños a la propiedad. En una ocasión anterior, un incendio en un campamento ubicado bajo un puente obligó a la ciudad a destinar cerca de $100,000 a la reparación de una viga estructural y de conductos eléctricos fundidos.

Mirando hacia el futuro

La ciudad de Greeley continuará aplicando un enfoque reflexivo y equilibrado al implementar la nueva regla sobre el establecimiento de campamentos. Aunque la ordenanza entra en vigor el 11 de junio, el objetivo principal es mejorar la salud y la seguridad públicas. El primer paso será capacitar al personal municipal sobre lo que la ordenanza permite y prohíbe. Posteriormente, se compartirá esta información con el público. El enfoque principal estará en la educación, la concientización y el apoyo, antes que en las sanciones.

Greeley City Council Meeting
May 20, 2025
Council Chambers, 1001 11th Avenue, Greeley
6 p.m.
For meeting minutes, agendas and to watch meetings live online, visit Greeley's city meeting portal at https://greeleyco.portal.civicclerk.com/.

Title: Introduction and first reading of an ordinance adding Chapter 16 to Title 14 of the Greeley Municipal Code relating to unauthorized camping.
Summary: At a Work Session on March 11, 2025, Council directed staff to draft an Ordinance to prohibit unauthorized camping on public and private property. The unauthorized use of public or private property for camping tends to impair, obstruct, and otherwise detract from the use of the property for its intended purpose. Prohibiting unauthorized camp sites and campgrounds will promote public health, sanitation, aesthetics, and safety for individuals in the City of Greeley.

A team of City leaders—including Mandy Shreve (Director of Homeless Solutions), Will Jones (Deputy Public Works Director), Chief Adam Turk (Greeley Police Chief), and Bobbier Cranston (Supervising Senior Attorney)—presented an overview of proposed camping restrictions in Greeley. They covered homelessness causes, shelter availability, enforcement considerations, and how other communities have addressed similar issues.

Visit Greeley's City Meeting Portal to play the full discussion.

Over the past few weeks, the City of Greeley asked residents to share their thoughts on public camping restrictions. A total of 352 residents participated in our community survey and in-person meeting.

A Snapshot of Survey Results

Community Concern:

• 71.6% of people said they are very concerned about homelessness in Greeley.

Public Preferences:

• 53.4% strongly support camping restrictions, while 17.6% strongly oppose them.
• More people would like to see targeted restrictions vs. banning camping across the whole city. This approach would limit camping in areas like parks and near schools.
• Many people felt mental health services and shelter space should be a priority.

Possible Challenges & Considerations:

• 65.3% of people worried that restrictions might not work without more shelter options.
• 52.6% believe outreach to connect people with services should happen before enforcement.

We want to thank everyone who participated in this survey. Your feedback will help guide City Council as they consider potential policies.

Review the survey results report.

Learn about homelessness in Greeley. This presentation includes the main causes, how other cities have handled similar issues, and ideas for what Greeley could do. It also explains some of the challenges the city might face with these options. This resource is here to help you understand the issue.

After playing the video, take the survey and share your thoughts by March 2.

We appreciate everyone who joined the February 19 info session and contributed to a thoughtful conversation on this important, yet challenging topic. We encourage you to take the survey and share it with your friends, family, and co-workers to help us gather more feedback.

Unable to attend? A recording of the meeting will be available on this page after February 25.

Join us to learn more about homelessness in Greeley, the options for camping restrictions, and how other cities have handled similar situations. City staff will present information on potential approaches, the challenges we face, and how this could affect the community.

5:30-7 p.m.
LINC Library, 501 8th Avenue, Greeley