Sanctuary camping can refer to a range of possibilities, but what folks who live on the street in Asheville have asked for, what the Aston park demonstration was in solidarity with, and what we as defendants also support is:
approved camping on public property with guaranteed access to public restrooms and adequate amenities for waste and sharps disposal.
Sanctuary camping is practiced in cities across the country. Olympia, Austin, Missoula, Eugene, Denver and many more are practicing an array of camp models. In Eugene, Oregon, City Council approved an ordinance in 2021 for temporary locations for up to 40 tents or 60 vehicles. Currently Eugene hosts 6 of these sites, which may include electricity, water and bathroom access, Wi-Fi and support for animal companions. Missoula, Montana hosts a county-supported tent site with bathrooms, a warming center, and propane heaters in each shelter.
Here are some links to articles about how this has looked in other cities:
- https://www.kunr.org/housing/2022-02-16/nevada-colorado-experiment-with-sanctioned-camping
- https://denverite.com/2020/07/14/how-does-sanctioned-camping-for-the-homeless-differ-from-unsanctioned-camping/
- https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/11/22/21563115/utah-homeless-sanctioned-camp-area-salt-lake-city-solutions-tent-city-camping
- https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/02/18/mayor-ted-wheeler-floats-new-plan-for-sanctioned-camping-sites/
- https://www.chicoer.com/2021/06/27/chico-faces-federal-litigation-offers-sanctioned-camping/
- https://boulderbeat.news/2021/02/18/boulder-will-again-weigh-sanctioned-camping/