Columbus addresses unsheltered camping through City Code park rules, sidewalk-obstruction enforcement, and coordination with the Community Shelter Board (CSB), the lead Continuum of Care agency. Following Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024), Columbus may enforce camping bans even absent shelter capacity, but practice emphasizes outreach.
Columbus does not have a single LAMC-41-18 analog but enforces camping prohibitions through park rules administered by Columbus Recreation and Parks, ORC 2911.21 criminal trespass on public and private property, and Columbus right-of-way obstruction provisions. The Community Shelter Board operates as the city/county Continuum of Care lead, coordinating shelter intake at the YWCA Family Center, Van Buren Center, and Faith Mission, and contracting outreach (Maryhaven, Southeast). Following the U.S. Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson (2024), Eighth Amendment limits on camping bans were narrowed, expanding city enforcement authority. Columbus practice still emphasizes notice, storage of belongings, and connection to CSB intake before clearing encampments. Mayoral homelessness policy avoids the ticket-first approach.
Camping in violation of Columbus park rules or right-of-way obstruction may bring misdemeanor citations, removal of belongings (with storage), and trespass charges under ORC 2911.21. Practice emphasizes notice, Community Shelter Board outreach, and coordinated cleanup over immediate sanctions.
See how Columbus's lamc §41.18 encampment rule rules stack up against other locations.
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