DeKalb County delays camping ban after tense board debate

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to defer a decision on a controversial unauthorized camping ordinance for 30 days following a 45-minute debate.

Commission pauses camping ban debate

What we know:

DeKalb County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to delay action on a proposed unauthorized camping ordinance for 30 days.

The measure, if passed, could prohibit camping that obstructs public property or interferes with entering and exiting locations.

The proposal traces back to a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing local governments to enforce bans and issue fines for sleeping outside in public areas.

Dig deeper:

Under the draft, officers must issue a warning before making any arrest.

District 3 Commissioner Nicole Massiah stated the policy aims to regulate unsafe encampments and protect public safety, denying that it targets the unhoused population.

Audience members, including advocates wearing yellow shirts and red scarves, attended the meeting in Decatur, with some turning their backs in protest while others raised hands in support.

DeKalb commissioners weigh jail costs

What they're saying:

Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry raised financial and operational concerns, citing feedback from the county sheriff that the ordinance could increase jail admissions.

"Under her responsibility, which is taking even more millions of dollars out of our county funds, it's an inefficient use of resources," Terry said.

Advocates also questioned the draft's current structure. Gregory White, executive director of A Home for Everyone in DeKalb, noted that the proposal lacked diversion language and failed to specify where personal items would be stored.

Massiah countered that DeKalb County officers have the authority to use discretion.

"It doesn't mean that people have to go from 0 to 60 and go to jail, or that they have to go to jail at all," she said. "This idea that it's jailing the unhoused is grossly misleading and incorrect."

Arguments center on safety and jail impact

The other side:

Opponents of the proposal expressed concern over the lack of support services and the potential financial strain on county resources. Gregory White, executive director of A Home for Everyone in DeKalb, noted the proposal lacked key protections for displaced individuals.

"The ordinance, to me, it didn't have any diversion language in it," White said. "It didn't say where we're going to store people's items."

Commissioner Ted Terry argued against passing the measure without understanding its full consequences, pointing out potential strain on local detention facilities.

"Our sheriff has said that this ordinance could cause more people to come into the jail," Terry said. "And under her responsibility, which is again taking even more millions of dollars out of our counting funds, it's an inefficient use of resources."

Massiah countered that police officers would have discretion under the policy. "It doesn't mean that people have to go from 0 to 60 and go to jail, or that they have to go to jail at all," Massiah said. "So this idea that it's jailing the unhoused is grossly misleading and incorrect."

Next steps for county policy

What's next:

The ordinance is scheduled to return to the board for a vote on Sept. 29.

County commissioners plan to review and discuss the proposal in committee meetings prior to the final vote.

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