City of Greeley Has Banned Camping Effective Today

Effective June 11, 2025, the City of Greeley has implemented a ban on camping in the city without authorization.

The Greeley city council passed a ban 5-2 last week that makes it a misdemeanor violation if you're caught camping on public property, including any parks, sidewalks or underpasses, and actually limits the number of days you're allowed to camp on private property to seven days per year.

Related: Don't Camp in Colorado Without These 25 Essentials

As part of the ordinance, the city says that concerns about public health, safety and sanitation are the main motivators for the ban. However, opponents of the ordinance are quick to point out it seems like an overreach at a time when the city does not have a year-round shelter in place for homeless residents.

The city - like many others across the State of Colorado - has conducted a tremendous amount of research on how to address homelessness in the city, and city officials have characterized this ban as a "tool in the toolbox" to clean up public spaces and remove the effects of homeless populations from parks, rivers and areas prone to fire danger.

The camping ban also includes private property as well, limiting the amount of overnights allowed outdoors to seven nights a year. In any case where someone is found to be camping outdoors on private property, both the individual camping and the homeowner will be subject to fines and penalties.

Additionally, the new ordinance prohibits the storing of items in any public areas.

Read More: These Are The Places You Can Legally Camp in Colorado and For How Long

Greeley Police Chief Adam Turk said in a press release from the City of Greeley that, "Our goal is to keep public spaces safe and accessible for everyone while continuing to support our residents through outreach and services. This ordinance is about striking a balance. We’ve looked at how other cities across Colorado and the country are approaching these issues, and we’re working to apply those lessons here.”

The ordinance is in effect as of today, June 11, 2025, and the city will continue to evaluate it as they educate the public on it.