Washoe County, NV Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Ordinance No. 1715, effective April 5, 2024, added WCC 50.400 to address encampments along the river corridor and on other county land. It is unlawful to camp on county-owned property within 1,000 feet of the shore of the Truckee River, or on any public place in unincorporated Washoe County, unless the activity is permitted under WCC 95.380 or another Code provision. "Camping" is defined broadly: sleeping or preparing to sleep, including laying out bedding; storing personal belongings in one spot for more than 48 hours, after which anything left is treated as abandoned property subject to removal or disposal; or using a tent, shelter, structure, or vehicle to sleep in.

The ban does not reach everyone on county land. It does not apply to a person sitting or lying down due to a medical emergency, a person using a wheelchair or walker because of a disability, a vendor operating under an applicable permit, or someone attending a parade, festival, rally, or similar permitted event. No one can be cited on a first encounter: WCC 50.400(3) requires that the person first be warned by an officer or by posted signage reading "no camping," with signs required at intervals no greater than 500 feet so that at least one sign is within sight of the next.

A violation of WCC 50.400 is a misdemeanor. The section is written to be severable, so if a court strikes one clause the rest of the camping ban remains enforceable.