Dallas City Code Chapter 31 restricts sitting or lying on public sidewalks in central business district hours and near schools, but Martin v. Boise and the Grants Pass framework limit enforcement when shelter is unavailable, requiring outreach offers first.
Dallas Chapter 31 makes it unlawful to sit, lie, or sleep on sidewalks in the central business district and Deep Ellum entertainment district between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., within 1,000 feet of schools, and within Trinity River Corridor parks. The Ninth Circuit's Martin v. Boise (2018) and the Supreme Court's 2024 Grants Pass v. Johnson decision shape how Dallas Police enforce: the city pivoted toward outreach-first contacts coordinated by the Office of Homeless Solutions and Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. ADA exceptions allow people with disabilities, medical events, and parade or transit-stop seating. Bus benches and assigned cafe seating are exempt. Repeat enforcement triggers Service-Connection Court diversion under the Dallas County mental health court program.
Class C misdemeanor under Code 31, fine up to $500. Diversion to Service-Connection Court or Homeless Court can substitute treatment, shelter intake, and case management for fines, often dismissing the underlying citation upon completion.
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