Hostile architecture that penalizes seniors and the homeless is banned in Morgantown.

Finally, some public officials are taking action to curb the trend of eliminating any free, accessible space in urban areas. In Morgantown, United States, the city council approved a resolution in July 2026 prohibiting the installation of new hostile architecture in city-owned public spaces.

The category of hostile architecture includes elements designed to discourage certain behaviors, especially those of homeless people, for example:

• benches with central dividers that prevent people from lying down;
• inclined or segmented seats;
• spikes or other protrusions installed to prevent sitting or standing;
• other devices that deliberately make a space uncomfortable, unless justified by genuine safety or operational needs.

The resolution states that:

• the city will no longer be able to install these types of elements in new projects, replacements and renovations of public infrastructure;
• within approximately six months an inventory of existing structures considered “hostile” must be drawn up;
• Once it is ready, all existing solutions deemed “hostile” will be modified or replaced with more inclusive solutions.

But what is hostile architecture, and through what works does it establish itself? Although not studied in textbooks or universities, hostile architecture ( or defensive architecture ) has become increasingly widespread alongside the development of increasingly less inclusive and more segregated cities. It is an approach to the design of public spaces that uses physical elements to discourage or prevent certain behaviors , rather than prohibiting them through rules or controls.

The stated goal may be to improve safety, reduce degradation, or manage space use. In reality, these solutions end up affecting the homeless and other vulnerable groups, such as the elderly , children, pregnant women—anyone who may need to rest in a free, public space.

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