Hagerstown Officials Report Initial Success with Outdoor Lodging Ban

Hagerstown’s new ordinance, which took effect on August 8, 2025, prohibits sleeping, camping, or storing personal belongings on public property, including parks, sidewalks, and parking lots. The ordinance allows for fines up to $500 or jail time of up to 60 days for each day of violation. This ordinance is being implemented alongside ongoing efforts to provide outreach and housing services, aiming to balance public safety with compassionate support for affected individuals, and at the December 9, 2025 work session Chief Kifer reported the ordinance has seen great success.

According to an update on the ordinance, there has been a noticeable absence of increased encounters with individuals affected by the ban. This decrease is attributed by officials to a combination of colder weather conditions and the opening of local shelters. Since the ordinance’s implementation, there have been 44 documented interactions with individuals, with a nearly equal split between proactive outreach and reactive responses to calls. The age range of individuals encountered spanned from 22 to 70 years old, with the majority falling between 35 and 45. The encounters primarily involved single individuals, making up 81% of cases, with smaller percentages involving groups of friends or couples. Approximately 59% of these interactions occurred on public property, while 40% were on private property.

Of the individuals who responded to questions regarding services, a significant majority—81%—indicated they had been offered or had previously been offered assistance. Furthermore, 75% of those contacted reported not utilizing any public services at the time of their encounter. Unemployment was identified as a major contributing factor, with 95% of individuals reporting they were unemployed. Of the 42 individuals who provided more detailed circumstances, 73% stated they had no place to go, 14% indicated they were staying outdoors by choice, and 11% reported having a place to stay but were unable to return due to conflicts. Residency information revealed that while most individuals were local to Hagerstown or Washington County, a notable portion—39%—came from surrounding areas, including Baltimore, Frederick, Martinsburg, New York, Pennsylvania, Rockville, and Washington D.C.

“So it’s having a positive impact that we were looking for, without the negative consequences of making arrest and doing those things,” said Chief Kifer. “So I’m I’m pretty satisfied and happy with that.”

The outcomes of these encounters indicate that 51% of individuals were advised to move along and informed about the ordinance, while an additional 37% were moved along and demonstrated awareness of the ordinance. The remaining cases resulted in arrests, but these were for existing warrants, drug-related offenses, or other violations, rather than the ordinance itself. The documented contributing factors during these engagements included suspected substance use, mental health concerns, individuals declining assistance, personal circumstances like seeking shelter, family conflicts, undergoing drug treatment, or leaving shelters in other jurisdictions.

“If we use this a handful of times in a year, I would be surprised. And we’re already months into it now and haven’t had to use it at all,” said Kifer.

Community partners have reported an increase in individuals seeking assistance, with some individuals citing the ordinance as a reason for seeking help. Officials view this as a positive indication that the ordinance is prompting individuals to connect with available resources without resorting to arrests.

The city plans to continue collecting data and will provide further updates to the council in January to inform the decision on whether to renew, modify, or discontinue the ordinance.

Article by Ken Buckler, based upon information from a City of Hagerstown press release.

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