Loveland Expands Public Camping Ban as Shelter Closure Looms

City Council vote removes 72-hour notice and shelter availability requirements for enforcing camping restrictions.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 9:23am

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Loveland City Council voted 5-4 to pass an ordinance expanding the city's authority to enforce its public camping ban. The new rules remove the requirement of 72 hours' notice before breaking up camps and no longer require the city to ensure shelter space is available before issuing citations. The decision comes as Loveland's only overnight shelter, the Loveland Resource Center, is set to close permanently next month.

Why it matters

The ordinance aligns Loveland's policies with a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that allows cities to enforce camping bans even when shelter space is unavailable. However, the move has drawn criticism from some council members and community members who say it criminalizes homelessness at a time when options for the unhoused are dwindling.

The details

The new ordinance gives Loveland police more leeway to enforce the city's public camping ban. Officers no longer need to provide 72 hours' notice before clearing encampments, nor do they have to confirm shelter space is available before issuing citations. City leaders say the changes bring Loveland's code in line with a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that allows camping bans even without shelter access. But critics argue the rules will further marginalize the homeless population, especially after the closure of the Loveland Resource Center, the city's only overnight shelter.

  • Loveland City Council voted on the ordinance on Tuesday, February 4, 2026.
  • The Loveland Resource Center, the city's only overnight shelter, is set to close permanently in March 2026.

The players

Loveland City Council

The governing body of the city of Loveland, Colorado that voted to expand the city's public camping ban.

Eric Ford

A Loveland resident experiencing homelessness since the COVID-19 pandemic, who said the new rules "just compounds the problem" for those living on the streets.

Cody Nelson

A Loveland resident experiencing homelessness who uses the Loveland Resource Center, and said people will "run out of options" after the shelter closes.

Julie

A Loveland resident who has stayed at the Loveland Resource Center overnight shelter and feels "disrespected" by the community and city leaders.

Tim Doran

The Loveland Police Chief, who said officers have a duty to respond to citizen complaints about encampments, even though dealing with camping violations is "not what our officers join the police force to do."

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What they’re saying

“It just compounds the problem if they don't give them another option.”

— Eric Ford

“No one's got any plans or options to go to. I'm just trying to do the best I can.”

— Cody Nelson

“It's like they think we're like a piece of dirt on the ground. That we don't deserve to have some place that we can actually call home.”

— Julie

“I don't see this as an end all be all. I don't see this as a stopping point. There is a place for enforcing our laws. There's a place for having laws. There's a place for safety, and that is extended to all residents. Everyone needs to feel safe. And if you're in Loveland, you should feel like you have a place in Loveland, I don't think a tent is a place that you belong. I think we can do better.”

— Andrea Samson, Councilmember, Ward 2

“If you say you can't sleep outside, but someone doesn't have a choice other than to sleep outside, you're not criminalizing their choices, you're criminalizing the life situation that they're in.”

— Sarah Rothberg, Councilmember, Ward 2

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the new camping ban ordinance to take effect as the Loveland Resource Center prepares to close next month.

The takeaway

Loveland's decision to expand its public camping ban amid a looming shelter closure highlights the difficult balance cities face between enforcing laws and supporting their unhoused residents. The move aligns with a recent Supreme Court ruling, but critics argue it criminalizes homelessness and leaves vulnerable people with even fewer options.