Charleston coordinates with the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department and Public Works to clean encampments on public property. Notice is typically posted before removal, and recovered personal property is stored for retrieval before disposal.
Encampments on city property are addressed through Chapter 32 (Solid Waste) sanitation provisions and Chapter 26 (Parks) public-use rules. Public Works coordinates with the Charleston Police Department and Kanawha-Charleston Health Department to provide written notice (commonly 72 hours) before clearing a site, in line with constitutional due-process expectations after Lavan v. City of Los Angeles. Personal belongings are inventoried and stored for a defined period to allow retrieval. Encampments on private property are an owners responsibility, although the city may issue nuisance notices under Chapter 20. Service referrals through the Continuum of Care accompany most planned operations.
Establishing or returning to a posted encampment may yield citation under Chapter 26 or Chapter 32, with penalties including fines, possible misdemeanor charge, and ineligibility for re-entry to cleared sites.
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See how Charleston's encampment sanitation rules stack up against other locations.
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