What Are Those 'Homeless Camping" Signs Around Missoula?

The blue signs that have popped up all around Missoula over the past several weeks appear to be a warning for anyone considering camping in one of the city's many parks.

But actually, the "urban camping" signs are promoting the concerns of a group that formed this summer and want Missoula leaders to reconsider new policies governing homeless camping in those parks.

"No Camp Missoula" says it's not a campaign against the homeless, but pressing the Missoula City Council to adopt a policy that "protects children."

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What is the new urban camping group in Missoula

David Moore explains he and his neighbors near Bellevue Park were caught off guard this summer.

"When they first put the porta potties out in the park, everybody thought they were for the lineman and the construction workers to clean up that big mess after the storm," Moore tells me. "And then one of my neighbors made me aware that that was for unsheltered camping."

That plan was the latest development in the ongoing debate over homeless camping, and the latest ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court. Those rules limit camping in parks to hours between 8 pm and 8 am and set boundaries around public schools, daycares, and businesses.

A "step backward"

"Well, this policy is a step back backwards," Moore says. "If you look at Portland, Seattle, Rochester, MN, and other cities in Oregon, they're starting to take back their public spaces and they're setting boundaries and rules for camping. And they're making the people responsible and accountable."

Moore says the big concern is for safety.

"You know it's children's safety and senior safety and our neighborhood. We have some group homes and concerns about some of those residents because a lot of people, you know, everybody uses the parks and by allowing camping on them, it degrades the experience for the entire community."

A growing movement

Moore says the group now has about 400 people who've signed an online petition and is working to create awareness, with an eye toward going back to the city council and asking for revisions.

It's imperative I think, because they did this decision over the summer. A lot of people were out of town. They didn't get involved and most people I talked to can't believe that they did this. It just doesn't compute on a logical level."

You can find out more on the group's Facebook page and website.