Homelessness & Encampment Rules in Memphis, TN (2026)
3 verified homelessness & encampment rules for Memphis, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Sit-Lie Rules
Memphis Code Chapter 17 (Streets) prohibits obstructing sidewalks and public rights-of-way. While not a sweeping sit-lie ban, the rule lets MPD clear seated or recumbent persons whose presence blocks pedestrian passage, particularly in downtown and Beale Street districts.
Memphis Code Limits Sidewalk Obstruction
Some RestrictionsEncampment Sanitation
Memphis Public Works and Solid Waste (Ch. 26) coordinate with Code Enforcement (Ch. 25) and the Shelby County Health Department to clear encampments under Health and Sanitation (Ch. 8). Notice-to-vacate windows typically run 72 hours.
Memphis Cleans Encampments Under Ch. 8
Some RestrictionsBridge Housing Siting
Memphis Housing Authority and the Community Alliance for the Homeless coordinate bridge-housing placements, transitional shelters, and rapid-rehousing referrals. There is no LA-style emergency-shelter ordinance, but federal CoC funding flows through the Continuum of Care.