Norman's anti-camping ordinance heads back to council in November after more staff work

NORMAN - A proposed Norman ban on camping on public property will return to the City Council at a meeting in November, after city staff do more work on the details, according to a city public service announcement issued Thursday.

The city describes the anti-camping ordinance as in its beginning stages. The council discussed it at an Oct. 20 special meeting, where the agenda listed continued discussion of ordinances O-2627-7 and O-2627-8, which would prohibit camping and certain other activities on public property.

Staff are working on a single policy and procedure for the Norman Police Department and Norman Municipal Court, which often deal with people who are unhoused, that keeps putting resource-sharing for people in need first, the announcement says. A fuller ordinance plan would follow.

A discussion draft of O-2627-7 in the meeting packet would bar camping on public property except at city-sponsored or city-approved special events. It is not law.

The city posted video of the discussion on YouTube.

Source: City of Norman, "Information: Anti-Camping Ordinance," Oct. 22, 2026 (https://www.normanok.gov/news/information-anti-camping-ordinance); City Council special meeting agenda and packet, Oct. 20, 2026 (https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/normanok-pubu/MEET-Packet-103d7b696f6648a5a710fb17fbd56399.pdf).