Westchester County has no countywide sit-lie ordinance regulating sitting or lying on public sidewalks, leaving such regulation to individual municipalities, several of which have adopted narrow sidewalk-obstruction codes rather than blanket bans.
Unlike Los Angeles or Seattle, Westchester County and most of its municipalities have not enacted broad sit-lie ordinances criminalizing sitting or lying on public sidewalks. Instead, cities like Yonkers, White Plains, and New Rochelle rely on existing sidewalk-obstruction, disorderly-conduct, and trespass codes to address narrow public-safety concerns. Following the 2024 Supreme Court ruling in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, municipalities have expanded latitude, but Westchester's overall posture remains service-oriented through the Coordinated Entry system rather than enforcement-first. Persons experiencing homelessness in Westchester have a state-law right to shelter under Callahan v. Carey extensions.
Sidewalk obstruction citations, where issued, typically result in disorderly-conduct violations punishable by fines up to $250 and community service.
See how White Plains's sit-lie rules rules stack up against other locations.
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