DeKalb County commissioners approve ban on urban camping after contentious debate
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted 5-2 on Tuesday to approve an ordinance banning "urban camping" on public property, making unauthorized encampments a criminal offense.
Sponsored by District 3 Commissioner Nicole Massiah, the measure defines camping as using public space for private living accommodations in a manner that obstructs public access or blocks entryways and exits to public property for extended periods.
The legislation was initially introduced in March 2026 and underwent multiple deferrals and extensive legal review before coming up for a final vote this week.
The decision has ignited sharp debate across the county, pitting concerns over public safety against warnings that the policy criminalizes homelessness and poverty.
Ted Terry, the former mayor of Clarkston and current DeKalb County Commissioner representing Super District 6, labeled the passage an outright step backward.
"What happened yesterday was a real tragedy in my opinion," Terry said. "The result will be that more folks are going to be arrested and put into the jail, and right now that is not the place for them to be."
Terry cited recent data from the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office tracking arrests among the unhoused population before the measure's passage. According to that study, more than 700 individuals arrested for criminal trespass on private property last year had a documented mental health or substance abuse diagnosis.
CBS News Atlanta reached out to the five commissioners who voted in favor of the ordinance; as of publication, they have not responded.
But Massiah strongly defended the ordinance immediately following the vote, pushing back against characterizations of the measure.
"I think that has been really disgusting how this has been presented by some people as an attack on the unhoused," Massiah said. "It is the public safety issue and component of this that must be addressed."
The ban passed despite vehement opposition from housing advocates, community organizations such as A Home for Everyone in DeKalb, and dissenting commissioners Michelle Long Spears and Ted Terry.
Under the adopted ordinance, individuals living in an encampment must receive a 24-hour notice to remove their setup before facing criminal enforcement. Terry argued that the timeframe is unworkable and cruel.
"A 24-hour verbal or written notice is simply not acceptable," Terry said. "The solution can't be incarceration. The solution needs to be housing and services, and a very clear set of procedures and processes before we ever get to the point of arresting someone."
For residents living on the street, the votes' impact is immediate and personal. Less than a block away from where Terry was interviewed, CBS News Atlanta met a woman named Marshon, who has experienced homelessness on and off for several years. She moves her tent around different parts of the county on her own. She said she is working with a crisis center to find housing assistance.
Local service providers warn that shelters could see an influx of people seeking refuge following the vote. Among the organizations preparing to assist is the Hope 4 Haven Foundation in DeKalb's Belvedere Park neighborhood, which provides transitional resources and support to individuals and families working to secure permanent housing. For assistance, they can be reached at (404) 594-2029.
