President's Message - October 27, 2025

Update on Urban Camping Ordinance

As you may recall, on June 12, 2025, the City Council approved an ordinance outlawing urban camping on public space.  At the time of the approval, there were many groups concerned about this ordinance and feared that the city was criminalizing homelessness. The Mayor also had concerns about the ordinance and directed that a 90-day review be undertaken and asked Jay Melder, the City Manager, to provide an update after the review.

At last week’s City Council Workshop, Robert Gavin, Assistant Chief of Police, and Stephanie Kaple, Executive Director, Savannah Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), provided the Mayor and Council with the requested update on the impact of the ordinance.  According to the ICH: “The ordinance led to an improved partnership between the homeless services network and our justice partners, sparking unprecedented collaboration, innovation, and outreach with a shared mission to connect individuals with dignity, safety, and hope.”

During the review period, there were 179 citations issued under this new ordinance.  A total of eight percent of these citations resulted in an arrest. (A total of 15 people were arrested; six were arrested for camping and nine individuals had outstanding arrest warrants.)

Out of the 179 citations issued, 135 of these individuals engaged in the services that were being offered by care providers and 30 percent entered a shelter. Also 47 bus tickets were purchased for individuals who wanted to return to their home addresses. 

The ICH believes the ordinance is not punitive to homeless people and only provides another tool to encourage those needing assistance a means to do so.  As the DNA has stated many times, we do not want to criminalize homelessness. We believe this ordinance does not do that.  We are encouraged to find that the various support groups assisting the homeless are now working with each other in a more cooperative, cohesive way.

The Board would also like to publicly thank At-Large Alderwoman Carol Bell for writing the ordinance and working to have it approved by the City Council.  During a DNA monthly meeting earlier this year, Alderwoman Bell heard our members voicing their concerns about vagrancy and promised to have this ordinance approved.  She succeeded.

Police Headquarters

The DNA also learned at the workshop that the Savannah Police Department is scheduled to move back into its headquarters building on E. Oglethorpe Avenue beginning in December.  (Yes, 2025!)  We are glad to have them back.

David McDonald

Past President

Downtown Neighborhood Association Savannah, GA Inc.