Homelessness & Encampment Rules in San Antonio, TX (2026)
2 verified homelessness & encampment rules for San Antonio, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Sit-Lie Rules
San Antonio bars sitting or lying in the downtown right-of-way when it blocks pedestrians, but only after a police warning. The central-business-district rule under City Code Sec. 21-26 is a Class C misdemeanor carrying a fine up to $500.
San Antonio Downtown Sit-Lie Rule: Sidewalk Obstruction (Sec. 21-26)
Some RestrictionsSan Antonio City Code § 21-26 (Sitting or lying down in the right-of-way)
(b) A person commits an offense if, after having been notified by a law enforcement officer that the conduct violates this section, the person continues to sit or lie down in the right-of-way between the roadway and the abutting property line or structure, or on an object placed in that area, in a manner that would: (1) Hinder the unobstructed passage of a person; (2) Require a person to take e...
Encampment Sanitation
San Antonio makes it unlawful to camp in any public place outside city-designated areas under City Code Sec. 21-28, a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to $500. The ban covers storing belongings, pitching tents or shelters, cooking, campfires and digging on streets, parks, sidewalks and other outdoor areas the public can access.
San Antonio Public Camping Ban
Heavy RestrictionsSan Antonio Code of Ordinances Sec. 21-28
(a)Except in designated areas, it shall be unlawful for any person to camp in any public place.(b)In this section, the term public place means an outdoor area to which the public has access and includes, but is not limited to, streets, highways, parks, parking lots, alleyways, pedestrian ways, and the common areas of schools, hospitals, apartment houses, office buildings, transport facilities, ...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Antonio city rules.
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