Homeless Encampment

Call 911

Call 911 if a person is:

On the subway tracks
Creating a danger to themselves or others
Experiencing a health-related emergency and needs medical assistance
Creating a hazard, such as blocking a sidewalk or ATM
Currently located on private property (this is considered trespassing)

Need something else?

Homeless Outreach Assistance to request outreach for homeless individuals
Trespassing to report someone on private property in the past or repeatedly

You can report homeless people who have established encampments on public property.

An encampment is a structure to live under, including, but not limited to:

Mattresses
Tarps
Tents
Camping setups

Encampments are often under bridges or in remote areas where groups can isolate. In New York City, obstructions and encampments are not allowed.

You can report an encampment at the following locations:

Bridges
Highways
Parks or playgrounds
Outside of residential and commercial buildings
Roadway tunnels
Streets and sidewalks
Subway stations/entrances

Report an encampment.

What Happens Next

Officers from your local police precinct will respond within 4 hours. They will inspect the location to determine if an encampment exists and refer their findings to the Department of Homeless Services (DHS).

DHS will work to assess and address the condition with city agency partners, such as the New York City Police Department (NYPD), Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and the Parks Department. Throughout the process, DHS will engage with the individuals at the site to offer services and support, including protecting and safekeeping any valuable belongings.

Belongings that are collected are referred to as vouchered. Items that have been vouchered will be stored for 90 days.

DHS can also provide Homeless Outreach Assistance.

Learn more about the City's response to encampments.

If your belongings are vouchered by DHS, DHS will give you a “DHS Clean Up Site Voucher” form. Items that have been vouchered will be stored for 90 days. If you need more time to collect your belongings, you can contact DHS Joint Command Center (JCC) before the end of the 90 days.

If you are trying to locate your personal items that you believe were collected as part of an encampment clean up, you should do the following:

• Check the area for the “Notice of New York City Clean Up” or the “Post Clean Up Notice” that contains helpful details regarding the clean up, including the date and location of the clean up and whether items were vouchered.

• If DHS vouchered your belongings and you do not have a “DHS Clean Up Site Voucher” form, contact DHS JCC by phone:

Agency: Department of Homeless Services
Division: DHS Joint Command Center
Phone Number: (212) 607-6040
Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
You can reach staff during business hours (except for City Holidays).

• If you have the date, address, or description of the location of where your belongings were at the time of the clean up and DHS does not have your belongings, contact NYPD. You will need to contact the NYPD precinct that is responsible for that location. Find the address or phone number for an NYPD precinct.

You can visit a DHS Drop-In Center and use their phone to call the DHS JCC or local NYPD precinct if you have questions about stored or removed property vouchered by DHS or NYPD. Find a DHS Drop-In Center.

During Code Blue, Code Red, and Code Grey, outreach teams check on people who live on the streets and in the subway more frequently.

Homeless people may also stay at any Department of Homeless Services shelter or drop-in center without going through the normal intake process.

Code Blue

When the temperature is 32 degrees or lower, including wind chill values, the City follows Code Blue procedures.

Enhanced Code Blue is activated during the following scenarios:

Continuous or accumulating precipitation (snowfall of 3 inches or more)
Ice storms and/or freezing rain
Temperature or wind chills below -5° F (any amount of time)
Sustained winds of 40 mph (or higher)
At the request of New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) or City Hall

When Code Blue is in effect, over 50 NYC hospitals (including public hospitals), as well as DHS drop-in centers and shelters, operate with a full open-door policy. This ensures every New Yorker has a safe, warm place to go. New Yorkers who see individuals they believe to be experiencing homelessness and in need should request homeless outreach assistance.

Code Red (Including Level 1 and Level 2)

When the temperature reaches a heat index of 90 degrees, or when an excessive heat warning is issued, the City follows Code Red procedures.

Code Grey

When the Air Quality Index (AQI) is forecast to be 201 or greater, the City follows Code Grey procedures until the AQI Advisory, Watch, or Warning has ended.

Homeless Encampment

Report an encampment.

Locating Vouchered Items

Code Blue, Code Red, and Code Grey

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