Southaven, MS Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)

Sec. 11-69 is titled Urban camping and improper use of public places, and its history note reads Res. of 8-15-23(1). It sits in Title XI, Chapter 3 of the Southaven Code, the chapter that also covers basketball goals on public streets. Subsections (b), (c) and (d) each say it shall be unlawful for any person to camp, to store personal property, or to interfere with ingress and egress. The sit-lie piece is the third one. Interference means standing, sitting, lying down, using personal property, or performing any other activity on public property or in a park, but only where the activity meets all three tests printed in the definition: it materially interferes with ingress into and egress from buildings, driveways, streets, alleys or other property with a limited number of entrances and exits; it reasonably appears, in light of all of the circumstances, to have the purpose of blocking ingress and egress; and it occurs without the express written permission of the property owner.

Where written permission has been granted, the person must have it in possession at the time of the activity. Public property means any street, sidewalk or other right-of-way within the City of Southaven, and park means any city-owned park. Under subsection (e), no person can be arrested until the Southaven Police Department has given an oral or written warning to cease, and arrest follows only if the violator fails to comply. Subsection (g) lifts the camping and storing bans, but not the interference ban, during a permitted outdoor event on the event property, unless the city-issued outdoor event permit explicitly prohibits the activity. Subsections (h) and (i) exempt city, state and county officials, employees and contractors doing official duties or contract work.