Norman is moving toward a formal ban on camping on public property after city staff presented two draft ordinances at a special City Council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 20.

The city said staff is refining the ordinance details before bringing a fuller plan to council. The item is expected to return at a November 2026 council meeting. The goal is a universal policy for the Norman Police Department and Norman Municipal Court when interacting with unhoused residents, according to the city.

The Oct. 20 meeting agenda listed two ordinances for continued discussion: O-2627-7, which would prohibit camping and sleeping on public property, and O-2627-8, which would update park rules to expressly ban camping. A staff presentation outlined four components: definitions, a camping prohibition, a ban on obstructing public access and exceptions.

State law adds urgency

The timeline carries extra weight because of House Bill 3985, the Oklahoma Safe Neighborhoods Act, which takes effect Nov. 1. The law allows property owners in cities with populations above 130,000 to file compensation claims if their local government declines to enforce laws against public camping and other offenses, according to the most recent federal decennial census. Norman's estimated population is around 132,000.

City staff told the council that Norman faces no risk under the new law from 2026 through 2029 because the statute's "primary property tax" classification does not exist in Oklahoma law. Staff described the long-term liability as "de minimis as written." But staff also noted the Legislature could amend the compensation provisions in the future.

Staff said adopting and enforcing a camping ordinance could reduce the risk of encampments developing into public nuisances, a separate trigger for liability under the law.

Months of debate

The council first considered the camping ordinances in late July. At that meeting, council postponed both measures, as The OU Daily reported. The public-property ordinance was postponed unanimously. The parks ordinance was postponed 8-1.

Ward 1 Councilmember David Gandesbery raised concerns at the July meeting about HB 3985's enforcement mandate. In The OU Daily's coverage, Gandesbery said the law means "if we set this in motion tonight, and then in November, one resident calls us and says 'Hey what about this,' we have to go respond to that incident every call, or be sued by the individual and be taken to court as a city."

Ward 8 Councilmember Scott Dixon motioned to bring the ordinance back before the law took effect.

Earlier in June, the council abandoned a separate ordinance that would have allowed homeless residents to camp in residential front yards, the Journal Record reported.

Encampments persist

The policy debate plays out against repeated state intervention. Gov. Kevin Stitt's Operation SAFE cleared a homeless encampment on state-owned land near Food and Shelter Inc. in Norman three times over four months, KGOU reported. Each time, people returned.

Norman voters approved an $8 million bond in April to build a permanent 120-bed homeless shelter, but construction is on hold while the Oklahoma Supreme Court considers a legal challenge. The city's existing emergency shelter, operated by City Care, has 52 beds and turns away 30 to 50 people a month, according to KGOU.

A specific November meeting date for the ordinance has not been announced. The city said updates will be posted at normanok.gov.