BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A Birmingham ordinance banning unauthorized camping on city-owned property took effect Tuesday, establishing notice requirements for clearing encampments and procedures for connecting people experiencing homelessness with shelter and other services.
The City Council approved the measure Nov. 10. It sets a standard 48-hour notice period before an unauthorized encampment can be removed, with shorter deadlines for locations near critical infrastructure or situations involving immediate safety concerns.
City officials say the ordinance addresses public health, sanitation, safety and access to shared spaces while protecting infrastructure, including bridges and viaducts. It also establishes a more consistent process for addressing encampments.
“This ordinance establishes clear expectations and a consistent process for addressing encampments while ensuring that outreach, compassion, and connections to shelter and supportive services remain part of our response,” Mayor Randall Woodfin said in a news release quoted by BirminghamWatch. “We can prioritize public safety while recognizing the humanity and dignity of people experiencing homelessness.”
Under the ordinance, encampments near critical infrastructure and other designated priority locations require 24 hours’ notice before removal. A two-hour notice period applies to emergencies, imminent threats to public safety or infrastructure, and interference with permitted events. Other unauthorized encampments generally require 48 hours’ notice.
Notices must be provided in writing in English and Spanish. The city will provide storage for eligible personal belongings for up to 30 days. When possible, trained outreach teams will contact people before an encampment is cleared and offer connections to shelter and other available services.
Alanah Melton, Birmingham’s director of unhoused strategies, told WBRC that the ordinance’s immediate effective date does not mean the city will immediately begin sweeping encampments.
“The truth is, the longer we do have to serve notice, the more likely we can get people help,” Melton told the station. “As the mayor mentioned, it takes a minute to build up trust, and the longer I’ve slept outside, the longer it’s going to take for me to trust people.”
The city will develop implementation procedures covering encampment assessments, outreach, notification, removal, property storage and documentation, according to a city news release.
Artie Gilbert, director of Birmingham HEART, an outreach program that connects people experiencing homelessness with long-term resources, told WVTM 13 that seven or eight encampments were operating across the city. He described an approach that begins by identifying the people staying at each location and then connecting them with assistance.
The council’s action came four days after Birmingham’s State of Homelessness Summit, where city leaders and service providers discussed a goal of reducing homelessness by 40% in two years. The city’s broader strategy includes reducing encampments and developing a sustainable shelter system, BirminghamWatch reported.
Housing capacity remains a challenge. The city’s $2.4 million Home For All partnership with Faith Chapel opened 15 micro-shelters in April, and all were occupied as of the summit, according to BirminghamWatch. Elizabeth Caine, board chairwoman of One Roof, said at the gathering that Birmingham lost 37% of its permanent housing beds between 2023 and 2025.
Birmingham Police Deputy Chief Heath Boackle told summit attendees that officers were working to build relationships with people experiencing homelessness and connect them with resources.
“We must understand that homelessness is not a crime and mental health should not automatically become a law enforcement issue; however, when situations create safety concerns, criminal activity or other threats occur, we have a responsibility,” Boackle said, according to BirminghamWatch.