Des Moines council approves sleeping/camping bans after managers outline seven directives and supports

The Des Moines City Council on Aug. 5 approved changes to the municipal code that prohibit certain sleeping and camping behaviors in public and advanced enforcement measures for abandoned encroachments, after the city manager told council staff are implementing seven directives designed to reduce barriers to shelter use and to add supports before enforcement begins.

The manager briefed council on seven directives the council requested at an earlier reading: meeting with Central Iowa Shelter & Services to identify shelter barriers; developing animal accommodations with the ARL and noting potential budget impacts; identifying Public Works storage space to hold items removed during cleanups; continuing police transportation to shelters and exploring additional transport options; piloting two downtown restrooms in parking garages; hiring at least four outreach workers (the council discussed an estimated cost of roughly $250,000 for outreach staffing); and creating a part-time hearing officer position to handle appeals. The manager said staff will return with more definite timelines and budget implications ahead of the third reading.

"These are updates at this point," the manager told council and said staff will bring a fuller report before the third reading so the council can determine whether directives have been met.

Council debate focused on how enforcement will work in practice and how success will be measured. Several members stressed the stated goal is compliance, not criminalization, and asked staff to clarify what constitutes compliance in the field, how repeated encounters will be handled and whether the city will assign new resources or reallocate existing staff for enforcement and outreach.

Councilmembers also discussed data collection and outcome measurement. One member asked for processes to track individuals who receive warnings or citations and whether those contacts lead to shelter, services or housing. The manager and supporters said the program will rely on outreach agencies'software and coordination with providers and central intake to piece together individual outcomes and that point-in-time measurements will be used to gauge system-level impact.

Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham, appearing during public comment, urged caution and an evidence-based approach. "The proposed ordinance is not a proven way to reduce houselessness," she said, warning of potential constitutional issues and litigation costs and urging the council to invest in supported housing instead. Policy advocates similarly pointed to research showing citations often displace people a short distance rather than connect them to permanent housing.

Council voted to adopt Item 35 (abandoned encroachments updates) and Item 36 (amending Chapter 102 to address prohibited camping and sleeping). The clerk recorded the motions as carried; transcript notes the Item 35 vote as "Glass votes yes. 5 yes, 1 no," and the Item 36 motion carried by roll call.

What happens next: staff will continue implementing and refining the seven directives and are to return with additional updates and any revised ordinance language before the council's third reading. Council members asked for clearer budget estimates, a plan for storage and transportation that is accessible to users, and quarterly reporting on outcomes and data that links enforcement contacts to service uptake.