An offense under the ordinance is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500.

ALLEN, Texas — The Allen City Council recently passed a ban on sleeping or camping in public places, sparking alarm from a Collin County nonprofit that serves those experiencing housing insecurity. 

The ordinance, passed by the Allen City Council Dec. 9, applies to streets, parking lots, parking garages, walkways, office buildings and apartment buildings. The ordinance also prohibits “parking of a motor vehicle, motor home, or trailer for the apparent purpose of overnight occupancy.” Allen already has an ordinance that prohibits camping in the city’s parks, according to Allen Police Chief Steve Dye. 

The ordinance was proposed by Dye. It came after the city council in McKinney approved a similar ordinance in October that banned camping in parks or public areas.

“Over the last couple of years, we have seen an increase in our unsheltered population in Allen. Historically, the majority of those are in vehicles and parking lots, followed by those camping in wooded areas,” Dye said at the Dec. 9 meeting. “However, recently, we have seen an increase in unsheltered sleeping on some of our sidewalks and breezeways in front of our businesses.”

He said the ordinance requires officers to issue a warning, which is valid for 48 hours, before taking enforcement action. An offense under the ordinance is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. 

“While we have a state law that prohibits camping in public, it really doesn’t address the sleeping issue. I’m making this recommendation because I believe we also have an equal duty to make sure that our businesses have unobstructed commerce,” said Dye. “As always, our police officers will continue to take a benevolent approach. Both our police officers and our crisis intervention unit offering those unsheltered with food, clothing, water, medical treatment — that will not change.”

Family Promise of Collin County, a nonprofit that serves those experiencing housing insecurity, though, called Allen’s new ordinance “extremely concerning.”

“At the very least, the city should have engaged organizations and leaders who work daily with unhoused families/individuals to develop solutions before voting on enforcement.  Right now, housing, childcare, and the cost of groceries continue to rise, and these families are literally doing their best to survive after losing their homes. Sadly, for some, their car is the only safe place left,” Family Promise of Collin County Executive Director LaVeeta Hamilton said in a statement. “Shelters in the area are already full. Giving families/individuals 48 hours and then threatening a $500 ticket, without offering realistic alternatives, does not solve the issue, it pushes people further into crisis. Our community deserves a response that prioritizes safety, dignity, collaboration, and real options for families who are struggling.”

The new ordinances come as Housing Forward’s 2025 point-in-time count, which counts the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night, showed an estimated 3,541 people are experiencing homelessness on any given night in Dallas and Collin counties, down from 3,718 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2024.

WFAA has reached out to Housing Forward for comment on Allen’s ordinance.