{"id":402,"date":"2026-06-11T04:35:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T04:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northcarolinamovingjournal.com\/?p=402"},"modified":"2026-06-11T04:35:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T04:35:31","slug":"nc-senate-panel-resurrects-unauthorized-camping-homeless-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northcarolinamovingjournal.com\/?p=402","title":{"rendered":"NC Senate panel resurrects \u2018unauthorized camping\u2019 homeless ban"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

North Carolina Senate lawmakers revived a bill Wednesday that would ban homeless encampments outside of official, city-maintained sites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more US House passes bill to combat \u2018ghost\u2019 federal student aid applicants<\/a><\/p>\n

The Senate Judiciary committee voted to adopt an <\/span>amendment<\/span> that\u2019s a version of a <\/span>controversial bill<\/span> from last year, which passed the House and stalled in the Senate. It was tacked onto <\/span>House Bill 437<\/span>, requiring homeless shelters to be drug-free zones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under the amendment, originally sponsored by Rep. Brian Biggs (R-Randolph), local governments can\u2019t allow individuals to participate in \u201cunauthorized public camping or sleeping.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, municipalities would need to approve a location for homeless camps on the municipal property for less than a year at a time, and only when indoor shelters don\u2019t have enough space. Local governments would have to provide restroom facilities, water and public safety personnel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt does allow local governments to choose to designate an area that\u2019s certified as safe, that\u2019s drug-free, that has access to sanitation and the use of restroom facilities,\u201d Sen. Brad Overcash (R-Gaston) said. \u201cIt allows for the humane treatment of these homeless persons among us.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey have to have security measures put in place, sanitation services, they have to have access to restrooms, running water, connections to mental health services, connections to substance abuse treatment centers,\u201d Biggs said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Democrats on the committee disagreed with the addition of the amendment, but the GOP majority ignored their complaints.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sen. Mutjaba Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg) said the General Assembly needs to collaborate with local governments to get their input and hear their needs. He said the official zones don\u2019t make sense, because it removes a homeless individual\u2019s ability to choose their location.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have a designated area and you work 10, 15, 20 miles away, how are you going to work now without transportation?\u201d he told NC Newsline.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mohammed also questioned what the zones would look like across the state, with urban centers as well as rural farmland.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow many designated areas are we going to have in a place like Charlotte? It\u2019s going to look very different in Raleigh than Salisbury. Those are questions that I don\u2019t think the General Assembly has fully considered,\u201d he continued.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more \u2018What\u2019s the alternative?\u2019: US Sens. Cruz, Cantwell urge buy-in on college sports bill<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

Study: Hurricane Helene caused spike in homelessness in North Carolina<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n