Findlay To Ban Homeless Camps On Public Property

The City of Findlay is working on an ordinance that would prohibit homeless camps on public property.

The ordinance would be up for consideration at the next city council meeting.

Below is a letter Findlay Service-Safety Director Rob Martin provided city council at its recent meeting.

Over the last several years, the Administration, under the direction of Mayor Muryn, has worked very hard to address the unhoused population in the community.  The Unhoused Coalition has made great strides bringing the local stakeholders together to streamline efforts to provide access to available resources and provide local services to people in need. 

With that, there is still a group of individuals, for varying reasons, that choose not to accept help when it is offered. 

Some of those individuals have a tendency to build camps on City property or use street benches and other public spaces as their camp. 

Findlay Police and Zoning Enforcement have made great attempts to combat these behaviors, but have been met with resistance from the campers based on a Federal ruling on anti-camping rules. 

In 2018, a Federal case challenged anti-camping rules in Grants Pass, Oregon which ruled that the rules were unconstitutional. 

For the last six (6) years, that ruling has limited the ability to hold homeless campers accountable for camping in public locations. 

In June of 2024, the Supreme Court of the United States rules that people without homes can be arrested and banned for sleeping in public spaces as they are potentially a threat to health and public safety, and that of their own. 

With the new ruling comes a local opportunity to marry the efforts of the Unhoused Coalition with holding homeless campers accountable. 

The intent is not to incarcerate, but rather educate the homeless and provide them access to shelter and care through local resources. 

If they choose to be non-compliant, law enforcement now has the ability to hold them accountable. 

The intent is to create a balance for individuals who find themselves in these situations while maintaining safe and healthy public spaces for all citizens and visitors. 

The proposed ordinance language creates structure around the process. 

The Administration has collaborated with the City Mission, Family Resource Center, the Police Chief, Zoning Enforcement, Municipal Court Judges, and City Law Director’s Office to assure all had input on the recommended course of action moving forward. 

As this change is implemented, the impacts will be evaluated and will adjust as necessary.