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Following several other Southern California city leads, Hermosa Beach City Council on Tuesday voted to adopt an anti-camping policy in all public areas to keep the city “a safe and sanitary environment for everyone.”
The new policy will abolish the previous code that banned camping only at parks and beaches. To combat the homelessness crisis, cities around Southern California have recently adopted a policy that bans camping in all public areas, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year, to enable cities to regulate more powers to regulate homeless camps.
Since the decision, Long Beach, Indio, Palm Springs and other Southern California cities have adopted similar rules.
The new ordinance at Hermosa Beach will work with programs implemented by the city that aims to help anyone experiencing homelessness find shelter rather than sleeping on the beach or park, according to the city.
Breaking the new policy will result in a violation that will not exceed $100 for the first violation, the second will be $200 and $500 more.
Homeless advocates say such policies emit urban resources and fines for camping on the streets are only able to afford homeless people.
“The domestic community doesn’t have enough resources to serve everyone experiencing homelessness,” Anne Oliva, CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, told NPR last year.
A recent report by the Los Angeles Department of Homeless Services shows that the unsheltered homeless population in most LA County is projected to continue to decline for the second year in a row. The agency expects a 5%-10% decrease when the full statistical analysis is finished in the coming months.
“The resulting final ordinance not only bans camping in all public places, but also has more enforcement options to ensure Hermosa Beach remains a safe and sanitary environment for everyone,” said Dean Francois, Mayor of Hermosa Beach.
Under new law, the mayor may dismiss the quotation upon completion of the diversion program.
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