Nashville's Office of Homeless Services coordinates encampment closures with seventy-two hours posted notice, on-site outreach, and storage of personal belongings, working alongside MNPD, Public Works, and TDOT for state-owned right-of-way sites.
Metro's encampment closure protocol, codified in Mayoral Executive Order and Office of Homeless Services policy, requires posted notice at least seventy-two hours before closure, an outreach team visit, an offer of shelter or housing navigation, and storage of personal property for ninety days at a designated facility. Public Works handles sanitation removal under solid-waste rules; TDOT handles state right-of-way sites along I-24, I-40, and I-65 corridors. The 2022 Tennessee felony camping law has shifted some closures from civil cleanups to criminal enforcement, but Nashville's stated policy continues to prioritize housing-first navigation through the HMIS coordinated entry system.
Refusing to vacate after notice can support trespass arrest and TCA 39-14-414 felony camping charges; Metro may also impound abandoned property, which is recoverable for ninety days at the storage facility.
Nashville, TN
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Nashville, TN
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See how Nashville's encampment sanitation rules stack up against other locations.
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