Salt Lake City Debates Ordinance Targeting Homeless Camping

Proposed law would penalize people living in vehicles, raising concerns about lack of shelter options.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 3:03am

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An abstract, out-of-focus urban scene with faint silhouettes of people under makeshift shelters, conveying a melancholic mood about the challenges of homelessness.As cities grapple with the complex issue of homelessness, proposed ordinances to restrict public camping raise concerns about pushing the vulnerable into more dangerous situations.Salt Lake City Today

Salt Lake City is considering a new ordinance that would crack down on public camping, including penalizing people living in their vehicles. Homeless residents and advocates argue the law would only push the problem into other neighborhoods without solving the root issue of a lack of affordable housing and shelter space. City officials acknowledge the challenges but say they need to address public safety concerns around encampments.

Why it matters

This debate highlights the complex and often contentious issue of homelessness in urban areas, where cities struggle to balance public safety, individual rights, and the need for more comprehensive solutions to address the root causes of homelessness.

The details

The proposed ordinance would include penalties for people camping in their vehicles, which some say is an overly harsh measure given the lack of available shelter space. Homeless residents like Dwight Smith have shared stories of the difficulties they face, including safety concerns for vulnerable populations like women. City officials acknowledge the need for more temporary shelter options, but argue they must also address public safety risks associated with encampments.

  • The city council is set to hear public comment on the proposed ordinance on May 5, 2026.
  • The ordinance would crack down on public camping, including in vehicles, which has become an increasing issue in Salt Lake City.

The players

Dwight Smith

A homeless resident of Salt Lake City who shared his story of falling into homelessness and the challenges he and others face on the streets.

Brian Redd

Chief of the Salt Lake City Police Department, who expressed concerns about the public safety risks associated with homeless encampments.

Kseniya Kniazeva

Executive director of the Nomad Alliance, a local nonprofit that advocates for the homeless, who argued the proposed ordinance would only push the problem to other neighborhoods.

Andrew Johnston

Director of Homeless Policy and Outreach for Salt Lake City, who acknowledged the lack of temporary shelter solutions for the unsheltered.

Victoria Petro

A Salt Lake City council member who expressed concerns that the ordinance could push vulnerable homeless individuals into more dangerous situations.

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What they’re saying

“We've seen the devastation of camping in other cities where it's allowed… predators come in and they victimize, they deal with drugs, and we can't have that. We've got to increase the capacity for all of you, I know that.”

— Brian Redd, Chief, Salt Lake City Police Department

“If they keep getting ticket after ticket after ticket for no camping when there's no place else to go, it only pushes the problem into another neighborhood... rather than actually solving it.”

— Kseniya Kniazeva, Executive Director, Nomad Alliance

“If I were to put myself in that place, I would look for darker, more secluded places where I couldn't be seen, when the very human urge to sleep happens, which then makes me worry that we're pushing vulnerable people...into more dangerous situations.”

— Victoria Petro, City Council Member, District 1

What’s next

The Salt Lake City Council is set to hear public comment on the proposed ordinance cracking down on public camping, including in vehicles, on May 5, 2026.

The takeaway

This debate in Salt Lake City highlights the difficult balance cities must strike between addressing public safety concerns around homeless encampments and providing adequate shelter and support for vulnerable populations. Without comprehensive solutions to address the root causes of homelessness, such ordinances risk only pushing the problem into other neighborhoods rather than solving the issue.