Lakewood, WA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

030 states the core prohibition: no person may occupy a campsite on a sidewalk, street, alley, lane, public right-of-way, park, bench or other publicly owned property, or under a bridge or viaduct, unless it is specifically authorized by the code, declared an emergency exception by the City Manager, or exempted by City Council resolution for a special event with insurance and indemnification conditions. 020, separately bars sleeping on public sidewalks, streets or alleyways or in doorways at any time. 050: before the Lakewood Police Department removes a discovered campsite from public property, the City must post a notice at least 24 hours in advance, and at the time that notice is posted the City must inform a local agency that delivers social services to homeless individuals of the campsite's location.

Only after the 24-hour notice period passes may police remove the campsite and the personal property in it. 060 then governs what happens to removed belongings: items with no apparent value or in an unsanitary condition may be discarded immediately, weapons and evidence of a crime may be retained, and everything else must be stored by police for a minimum of 30 days and released to a confirmed owner.