Residents create non-profit in effort to change Missoula urban camping ordinance

MISSOULA — Bellevue Park in the Southgate Triangle looks like a regular park where families can come and enjoy but between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., urban camping is allowed.

One neighbor who lives across from the park tells MTN that they’ve taken matters into their own hands to protect their park.

“It has as to do with public safety, children and the whole community's enjoyment of the parks, which would be spoiled if we allow widespread camping throughout the city's 91 parks,” David Moore, one of the founders of No Camp Missoula said.

• RELATED: Residents voice concerns over the new Missoula urban camping ordnance

Moore who lives right across the street from Bellevue Park on Paxson Street says after the ordinance went into effect, neighbors took action.

Moore and a few other volunteers founded the non-profit No Camp Missoula, to work to change the urban camping ordinance.

"We weren't really aware of it as homeowners. even though they said they'd given us notification. So I was talking to a business friend of mine and he said, where do I write a check? And so that's how we decided to organize and form a nonprofit because we just can't let our neighborhoods be, be ruined,” Moore said.

After a recent photo from McLeod Park — which is not far from Bellevue Park — of a campsite with a laundry line was circulated, neighbors are concerned that this could become their park if the city does not change the ordinance.

“It's just not a sustainable way to house the homeless,” Moore said.

Moore says that the group has solutions for an ideal solution.

“We're not coming to the table without solutions. We're looking at other communities like Hillsboro, Oregon...they cleaned up encampments and they have rules and penalties set up that tell people when and where they can camp," Moore told MTN. "And if they don't agree with that, they're invited to move elsewhere because they had a huge problem before.

• RELATED: Missoula’s rules restricting camping on city property cause confusion, frustration

"Most cities are eliminating camping on public land because of all the problems we've had during the pandemic. And afterwards it's just not a sustainable way to house the homeless,” Moore continued.
Thanks to a letter-writing campaign, a petition that has over 400 signatures, and about 400 yard signs that have been given out, the effort to change the ordinance is not going unnoticed to other neighbors in the area.

No Camp Missoula does accept donations that pay for printed materials and the yard signs, any left over donations will be donated to the Montana Food Bank Network.

Click here to learn more about No Camp Missoula.