Unlike many West Coast cities, Detroit does not prohibit sitting, lying, or sleeping on public sidewalks. Title 38 (public ways) requires only that pedestrian passage remain unobstructed and that ADA accessible routes stay clear of tents.
Detroit's public-way ordinances under Title 38 focus on obstruction rather than sit-lie status. There is no general prohibition on sitting or lying on a sidewalk during the daytime, and overnight sleeping in public is policed primarily through trespass and park-curfew rules rather than a status offense. The City Council and Mayor's Office on Homelessness have explicitly rejected California-style sit-lie bans, citing Eighth Amendment concerns rooted in Martin v. Boise (9th Cir. 2018), even though that ruling does not control the 6th Circuit. Detroit instead relies on the Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) outreach pathway to engage unsheltered residents and offer shelter beds.
Pedestrian obstruction is a civil infraction, $100 first offense. Tents blocking ADA ramps may be removed after 24-hour outreach notice with personal property stored 60 days.
Detroit, MI
Detroit's encampment response combines sanitation cleanups with mandatory outreach. Public Works gives 72-hour notice before any tent removal, and Mayor's Of...
Detroit, MI
Detroit's Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) is the single entry point to homelessness services. Operated by Homeless Action Network of Detroit, CAM screens ...
See how Detroit's sit-lie rules rules stack up against other locations.
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