Reno Struggles with Enforcement of Camping Ban

For years, illegal homeless camps lined the banks of the Truckee River in Reno and Sparks, causing environmental damage and raising safety concerns. On Tuesday, March 26, Washoe County passed an ordinance prohibiting public camping along the river, making it against the law to sleep in tents, cars, or RVs on county-owned property.

The new law, designed to preserve the cleanliness of the Truckee River—Washoe County’s primary water source—was seen as a long-overdue solution to an escalating problem. Under the ordinance, violators can be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor, but only if they refuse services.

It also prohibits obstructing sidewalks and roads and bans unsafe use of open flame devices near the river. Most significantly, it prevents camping within 1,000 feet of the Truckee River to stop the pollution and environmental damage caused by years of illegal encampments.

Since the ordinance took effect, Sparks police, with backing from the city council, have actively enforced the law. Daily patrols have cleared the riverfront of campers, ensuring the area remains safe, clean, and free of crime.

The Reno side, however, tells a different story.

Homeless camps remain, and the area continues to suffer from crime, trash, and pollution. According to homeless individuals still camping on the Reno side, Reno police rarely enforce the camping ban.

When officers appear, campers say they drive by, occasionally asking them to move but taking no further action. As a result, the camps persist, and the contrast between the Sparks and Reno has become frustrating for many.

Despite the passage of this new law, residents are concerned about the continued environmental impact on the Truckee River, especially on the Reno side, where sewage, garbage, and hazardous waste are still entering the water. The Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) has previously raised alarms about the contamination, pointing out instances of homeless individuals polluting water treatment areas.

Testing the river water downstream from homeless camps has revealed human fecal contamination. Several years ago, water from the river showed contamination was so severe that the equipment could not fully measure the extent of the pollutants, and the water was deemed “unsafe for human contact.”