San Diego to consider ban on tents
Mayor says homeless would be offered shelter and ‘cannot say “no” ’ to services.
SAN DIEGO — With homeless encampments in his downtown district surging in recent months, City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn on Thursday announced that he would propose an ordinance banning tents and makeshift structures on public property.
“We’ve heard too many stories of people camping on our streets who have been randomly attacked, stabbed to death or even set on fire,” Whitburn said. “These encampments are unsafe. They are also a danger to our neighborhoods.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria joined Whitburn in the announcement and said he supported the proposal and would urge the council to approve it.
Also on Thursday, representatives from counties throughout California proposed a plan designed to create housing and services for homeless people while increasing accountability and transparency.
Gloria said the San Diego ordinance would get tough on people who refuse to accept help or move their tents but would take a compassionate, progressive enforcement approach. People camping in public places, including canyons and sidewalks, would be offered shelter beds and would be cited or arrested only after multiple run-ins with law enforcement.
Gloria and Whitburn said the city plans to open another safe parking lot in the near future and is looking for a location for its first safe campground.
“I want to be clear, once we have these resources in place, the answer from our homeless population can no longer be ‘no,’ ” Gloria said. “They cannot say ‘no’ to leaving the sidewalk or ‘no’ that they prefer being on the street or ‘no’ to services and help.”
However, with about 2,000 homeless people in downtown alone, there are not enough shelter beds or alternatives for everyone, even with the new parking lot and campground.
When asked about the challenge, Gloria said many people are able to find some kind of housing on their own.
A monthly report from the Regional Task Force on Homelessness shows that many homeless people rent units themselves. The report for February shows that 725 people became housed, with 522 renting units.
A federal ruling prohibits law enforcement from citing or arresting people for camping outdoors if no alternatives are available. The ordinance proposed by Whitburn would make exceptions to that rule, with law enforcement allowed to cite people for public camping in certain areas, regardless of the availability of shelter beds.
That enforcement would take place at encampments within two blocks of schools or homeless shelters; in any open space, waterway or natural area abutting a waterway; within any transit hub; on any trolley platform; or along trolley tracks.
The same rule would apply in Balboa Park, Mission Bay Park, Presidio Park and shoreline parks in Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and La Jolla.
The proposed local ordinance is similar to one put forth last year by state Sen. Brian Jones (R-Santee). That bill, which is up for a committee hearing March 28, would ban homeless encampments from public parks and near schools, libraries and other sensitive areas.
Gloria said San Diego in April also will begin enforcing its ordinance prohibiting people from living in vehicles, a law that had been on hiatus since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Homeless advocate Michael McConnell said the proposed ordinance appears to be redundant.
“We already have a state law against illegal lodging, as well as a municipal code for encroachment,” he said. “Homelessness is basically criminalized every day.”