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Tacoma city council considers expanded camping ban
The Tacoma City Council discussed the possible expansion of the city's homeless camping ban Tuesday night, with many in attendance expressing criticism.
TACOMA, Wash. - The city council in Tacoma is discussing a possible expansion of the city's homeless camping ban.
While some people support the proposal, it's been met with some criticism from others in the community.
What they're saying:
A group of protesters against the ban, gathered in front of city hall before the council meeting Tuesday night. They say if the ordinance is passed, it's going to put more hardship on an already vulnerable group.
Protesters marched outside Tacoma City Hall, calling for climate justice and to protest an amendment that would expand the camping ban in Tacoma.
"Feel pretty shocked, gutted, shocked, disappointed," said Shalom Agtarap, Reverend at First United Methodist Church of Tacoma and Common Good Tacoma co-director.
Agtarap says not only would the proposal prohibit camping outside shelters, but also near public spaces such as public K-12 schools, parks and libraries.
"It’s more than just 10 blocks from a shelter, it's also now 10 blocks from any school, any library or any of these public institutions of ours," said Agtarap.
After seeing the quote from Agtarap, a Tacoma City Council spokesperson reached out and said that Agtarap's statement to FOX 13 was factually inaccurate, sending FOX 13 a copy of the language in the ordinance from the City Council Action Memorandum.
It reads that it is not 10 blocks from any school, library or public institution, but rather "it is 2 blocks of a public school serving grades K-12, a public park, or public library."
Candidate for Tacoma mayor and current council member John Hines is a sponsor of the new legislation.
"It’s about making sure whatever neighborhood you live in, your schools and your parks and your libraries should be free and open to the public," said Hines.
He says camping near public spaces is a public safety issue. Hines explained that under his proposal, camping buffers would remain at 10 blocks in the downtown core. He says buffers would be reduced to five blocks near shelter sites outside downtown.
"What works in shelter and housing, it's getting people into shelter where they have services and housing. What doesn't work is large encampments and I think that's what we are really trying to address here is public safety impacts of encampments," said Hines.
A handful of people also spoke by phone or online during the public comment period, in favor of the ordinance.
However, a larger number of people spoke out against the ordinance in person during the meeting.
Tuesday's hearing was only a first reading of the ordinance. It will be discussed again next week during a second reading and a vote could be taken on the ordinance at that time.
Common Good Tacoma issued the following statement regarding the Tacoma City Council's discussion over expanding the camping ban:
"Common Good Tacoma and its partners are extremely disappointed by Tacoma City Council’s decision to explore expanding Title 8 of the Municipal Code, relating to camping and storage of personal belongings on public property. Council sponsors are: Council Member John Hines, Mayor Victoria Woodards, Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh, and Council Member Sandesh Sadalge. CM Hines and CM Rumbaugh were also the original sponsors of the 2022 ordinance they wish to expand.
"Almost three years later, the Camping Ban of 2022 seeks more enforcement and approval in an attempt to save a failed ordinance. The imposition of the camping ban likely contributed to a 77% increase in homeless deaths in 2023, when at least 295 people died while homeless across the county.
"The City of Tacoma and Pierce County do harm in two ways," said Rev. Shalom Agtarap of Common Good. "First, they continue to displace people by decreasing shelter beds, at least 200 since June 2025, and second they penalize people when they are forced to sleep outside by this expansion of encampment sweeps.
"As people of moral conscience, who fight for the dignity of unhoused neighbors, we will rally in front of City Hall to give voice to those with lived experience of homelessness, the outreach workers who see the indignity daily, direct service providers, and coalition partners who demand investment in affordable housing and an end to the criminalization of unhoused people."
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Tacoma City Council and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.