TRAVERSE CITY — The City of Traverse City Police Department will start enforcing the city’s no camping ordinance, 1064.05, city-wide beginning May 6.
According to an April 15 news release, at their April 7 meeting, the City Commission scheduled a public hearing for May 5 to consider amending the Special Land Use Permit to allow for a year-round emergency shelter.
In preparation for possible adoption, the Traverse City Police Department would like tc make the public aware that, following careful consideration and collaboration, the Department will begin enforcing the city’s no camping ordinance, 1064.05, outlining camping city-wide starting at midnight May 6.
Currently, there is an encampment in a section of Grand Traverse Commons Park near the Men’s Trail at the corner of Eleventh Street and Division Street. This area has been referred to as The Pines.
The ordinance states:
“No person shall camp within any park. No person shall park overnight any house trailer or camping vehicle in any park. A person who violates this section is responsible for a civil infraction.”
According to the release, the City of Traverse City and the TCPD are working with local partners to prioritize a housing-focused approach to homelessness. The goal is to ensure access to safe, stable housing—not just temporary fixes. Encampments are not a long-term solution, as they leave individuals vulnerable to extreme weather, violence, accidental fires, and serious health risks. Without proper sanitation, healthcare access, and security, encampments put individuals and the community at risk.
“The encampment is not being shut down overnight,” Chief Matt Richmond said. “We are working alongside our ORT and service providers to approach this in a way that prioritizes engagement. This phased approach will provide individuals time to transition into shelter or other needed services.”
Individuals in the Pines have been regularly informed since the fall of 2024 that The Pines would not be a long-term solution for the summer of 2025 and beyond.
The Traverse City Police Department’s ORT and community partners have proactively identified individuals staying in The Pines and their plans for relocation.
The ORT and housing partners have been meeting weekly to discuss each person referred to the ORT. The city has worked diligently with the Homelessness Response Team to leverage every available resource, providing support throughout this transition and beyond. Together, we have pursued concrete plans for shelter or diversion, aiming to connect individuals with stable solutions. These efforts will continue up to May 6 and beyond. Individuals new to the area will be referred to the Homeless Response System and the CAT for resources.
“No community has successfully managed encampments as a long-term solution to homelessness—they are inherently unsafe and unsustainable. We recognize that this transition will be difficult, as a sense of community has formed within The Pines,” City Manager Liz Vogel said. “However, safety must remain our top priority. By expanding shelter options. We are working to ensure that individuals have safe, viable alternatives when the encampment is no longer an option.”
Beginning April 15, the TCPD will provide each individual currently in The Pines with the date of enforcement both verbally and in writing. Individuals will have the opportunity to leave up to and on the day of enforcement.
Those individuals who continue to camp beyond the date of enforcement will be cited for a violation of ordinance 1064.05 and instructed to leave. Failure to leave once cited and upon request may result in the subject’s arrest. Strict enforcement of ordinance 1064.05 will be maintained throughout the year by the TCPD throughout the city.
The TCPD’s Community Police Officers and Social Workers have and will continue to make daily interactions to the city’s vulnerable population experiencing both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness to continue establishing rapport and trust. and help to coordinate resources.
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