Homelessness & Encampment Rules in North Carolina (2026)
21 rules on the books across North Carolina, 17 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Sit-Lie Rules
Citywide rules against sitting or lying on public sidewalks during specified daytime hours in commercial corridors, including how courts have constrained enforcement.
Charlotte
Heavy RestrictionsCharlotte bans camping, sleeping, or storing belongings on any city-owned public property, including sidewalks and…
Read full rule →Greensboro
Significant RestrictionsGreensboro bars sitting, lying down, or placing objects like a blanket or chair on a public sidewalk or street between…
Read full rule →Shelby
Significant RestrictionsShelby prohibits loitering on streets or in public places when it obstructs vehicular or pedestrian traffic, a…
Read full rule →Davidson County
Some RestrictionsDavidson County bans possessing an obstruction device or chaining yourself to a fixture with intent to block a public…
Read full rule →Raleigh
Some RestrictionsRaleigh makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally block a sidewalk or street in a public place. Sec. 13-2031 defines…
Read full rule →Wake County
Some RestrictionsIt is unlawful in unincorporated Wake County to walk, stand, sit, lie or place an object so as to block pedestrian or…
Read full rule →Wilmington
Some RestrictionsWilmington has no ordinance naming sitting or lying on a sidewalk; instead, Sec. 11-13 bans obstructing traffic on a…
Read full rule →Winston-Salem
Some RestrictionsCity code defines standing or lying on a sidewalk as unlawful "obstruction" whenever it blocks pedestrian passage…
Read full rule →Encampment Sanitation
How cities provide trash, hygiene, and bulky-item pickup at encampments, the CARE/CARE+ cleanups in LA, and the storage-of-belongings rules from Lavan v. LA.
Catawba County
Heavy RestrictionsCatawba County makes it unlawful to camp on any county-owned public property, including rights-of-way and sidewalks…
Read full rule →Cleveland County
Heavy RestrictionsCleveland County bans camping, and pitching a tent, tarp or bedding, on any county-owned property, including…
Read full rule →Concord
Heavy RestrictionsConcord bans camping, pitching tents or temporary shelters, and lighting campfires or bonfires on any city-owned…
Read full rule →Davidson County
Heavy RestrictionsDavidson County makes it a misdemeanor to camp on any county-owned public property, including rights-of-way and…
Read full rule →Fayetteville
Heavy RestrictionsFayetteville treats camping on city-owned streets, sidewalks, parks, and easements as a public nuisance whenever an…
Read full rule →Gastonia
Heavy RestrictionsGastonia makes it unlawful to camp, pitch a tent, leave bedding, or store personal belongings anywhere on city…
Read full rule →Greensboro
Heavy RestrictionsIt is unlawful to camp on any public street, sidewalk, passageway, or building entrance/exit anywhere in Greensboro…
Read full rule →Union County
Heavy RestrictionsUnion County outright bans camping, meaning sleeping, storing belongings, or pitching a tent or temporary shelter…
Read full rule →Wilmington
Heavy RestrictionsWilmington bans sleeping, camping, or otherwise staying overnight in any city park or recreational facility unless the…
Read full rule →Asheville
Significant RestrictionsAsheville City Code §§ 12-51 and 12-52 make it unlawful to camp, or to place a tent or shelter, on any city-owned or…
Read full rule →Gaston County
Significant RestrictionsCamping, pitching a tent, or leaving bedding on any Gaston County-owned property, including rights-of-way and…
Read full rule →New Hanover County
Significant RestrictionsNew Hanover County bans camping, sleeping, or setting up tents, cooking equipment or bedding on any county-owned or…
Read full rule →Shelby
Significant RestrictionsShelby locks every city park and greenway from a half-hour after sunset until a half-hour before sunrise, so anyone…
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