In a bid to conform with federal law, Santa Rosa City Council is all set to consider altering the city's long-standing camping ordinance during their upcoming meeting on Tuesday according to KRON4. This change could have a significant impact on the city's unsheltered residents and stir up some debate among Santa Rosans.
The proposed amendment aims to alter the city's ordinance prohibiting camping in public spaces, which has been in effect since 1994. The goal is to align Santa Rosa's policies with the 2019 U.S Court of Appeals decision in Martin v. City of Boise, which ruled that cities cannot ban individuals experiencing homelessness from occupying public spaces if no alternative shelter or housing options are available.
While Santa Rosa's current ordinance conflicts with the Martin v. City of Boise decision, the city has shown some adaptation in the past. The ordinance was last amended in 2013 to allow individuals to live in their vehicles according to the same KSRO report.
The city council will be looking at recommendations from the Housing and Community Services Department, which suggest repealing and replacing Chapter 11-22 of the Santa Rosa City Code (Camping on Public Streets and Public Property) as stated in a City of Santa Rosa Civic Alert post. The updated camping ordinance would eliminate the city's blanket ban on camping in public spaces and establish new standards focused on safeguarding the health and safety of the entire community.
The Santa Rosa City Council meeting, scheduled for August 8, 2023, at 5:00 p.m., provides a platform for concerned citizens to attend in person at 100 Santa Rosa Avenue or join via Zoom. As new regulations emerge and the city council deliberates on the potential changes, an air of anticipation hovers over the future of camping laws and the livelihoods of unsheltered residents in Santa Rosa.
