North Carolina lawmakers are moving ahead with a plan that would sharply limit where people experiencing homelessness can sleep, making most camping on public property illegal unless it is in a tightly controlled site. The proposal, advanced this week at the legislature, would require counties and cities to either set up designated camping areas that meet strict health and safety rules or ban public camping altogether. Backers frame it as a way to align with federal homeless policy and unlock more funding, while critics say it criminalizes poverty without adding beds or services.
Senate Panel Hooks Camping Ban To Existing Homeless Bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday signed off on new language folded into House Bill 437, giving the revised measure a favorable report. As reported by WRAL, the amendment borrows heavily from a similar stand-alone bill floated last year and leaves most enforcement details and site selection up to local governments. Lawmakers sent the package along to the Senate Health Care Committee for further vetting.
What House Bill 781 Would Do
Under language lawmakers have circulated, a city or county could not “authorize or otherwise allow” people to regularly camp or sleep on public property unless it first designates and certifies a specific site for that purpose. That designation could last no more than one year at a time and would require state sign-off.
To be certified by the Department of Health and Human Services, a site would have to meet minimum standards spelled out in House Bill 781, including access to running water, working toilets and coordinated behavioral health services. The bill would also create a private right of action, allowing nearby residents or business owners to sue a local government they believe is improperly permitting public camping.
Federal Push And Funding Rules
Supporters say the state proposal tracks new federal expectations that reward communities for reducing unsheltered homelessness and coordinating with law enforcement and other public safety partners. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s fiscal year 2025 Continuum of Care notice puts a premium on cutting street homelessness and competing aggressively for limited dollars, according to HUD’s guidance in the HUD NOFO.
At the committee hearing, Representative Brian Biggs warned colleagues that a large pool of HUD homeless-assistance grants is on the line and urged the legislature to act so North Carolina can stay competitive, according to WUNC.
Advocates And Providers Push Back
Service providers and civil rights advocates counter that the measure would effectively punish people for basic survival in public spaces while doing nothing to guarantee enough shelter beds, housing units or treatment slots. The ACLU of North Carolina has flagged HB 781 as one of the bills it opposes for banning public camping statewide.
Local housing groups have urged lawmakers to put money into affordable housing, outreach and supportive services instead of leading with enforcement. Critics who spoke to lawmakers said that when communities adopt camping bans without adequate shelter capacity, people are simply pushed from one spot to another and can end up in more dangerous situations, concerns detailed by NC Newsline.
Legal And Enforcement Implications
The bill’s civil enforcement section would let residents and business owners sue a city or county that they believe is unlawfully allowing public camping. Related changes in House Bill 437 would also create drug-free homeless-service zones with tougher penalties for drug offenses that occur nearby. Those provisions could increase legal exposure for local governments and operators of shelters or service centers, and add compliance tasks if the measures become law, according to House Bill 437.
What Happens Next
The proposal now heads to additional Senate committees before any potential floor votes. Lawmakers have not yet identified state funding to help local governments pay for the sanitation, security and service requirements the bill would impose on designated camping sites.
Local television and online outlets, including WCNC, have tracked the debate as it moves through the General Assembly. Advocacy organizations say they will keep pressing legislators to prioritize permanent housing and wraparound services over enforcement-first strategies.
