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ARE YOU BEING EVICTED FROM A TENT?

Encampments are temporary. Even if you are not displaced today, future clearances are common. In many cities, people stay in one location for about six months max. Planning where you might go next ahead of time can help protect your belongings and reduce stress in a crisis.

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Here is what usually happens and what to expect:

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HOW IT STARTS

Evictions often begin after repeated complaints about sanitation, fire risk, or safety concerns. Complaints can come from neighbors, passersby, businesses, or sometimes people connected to nonprofit and service organizations.  Rumors are often the only notice of a clearance.

WHO MAKES THE DECISION? 

Police contact the property owner. The landowner decides whether the camp will be cleared. Depending on the type of property, additional approval steps may be required. People living in the camp are rarely included in this decision. 

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EVICTION NOTICE

Sometimes, written notices are posted. Sometimes, notice is verbal. Written notice is not always guaranteed and may be brief or unclear. ​

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

You can ask:

  • Who authorized the eviction

  • When will the clearance happen

  • Whether service providers are available

 

If you hear about a clearance, refer to EVICTION NOTICE STANDARDS for more information.

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CLEARANCE

The landowner hires a cleanup crew, and the camp is removed quickly. Police are usually present. Belongings that are not packed are at high risk of being discarded. Important items are frequently lost unless prepared in advance.​

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If you are packed and ready at the time of clearance, most enforcement agencies and crews allow about an hour to remove your items. Clearance crews are not able to assist with moving belongings.

​HOUSING OFFERS

Shelter or housing offers may be presented at the time of eviction, but availability varies. You are not required to disclose personal identifying information, financial information, or accept a placement that feels unsafe. Be mindful that the person offering you housing could be the same person organizing the eviction. 

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ASKING FOR HELP

If someone offers support, ask about:

  • Water

  • Ready-to-eat meals

  • Coffee or energy drinks

  • Cigarettes & Lighter

  • Moving supplies: two tote bins with lids, 3MIL trash bags

  • Help with packing and clean up

  • Transportation to your next location

  • Secure storage, ideally up to 90 days

  • Replacement of essential survival materials​

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IF YOU HEAR ABOUT A CLEARANCE

  • Choose your next location

  • Start packing as soon as possible

  • Prioritize ID, medications, phones, chargers, tools, and important documents

  • Stay connected to someone you trust

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CLICK HERE to learn more about property types and their risks.

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