In the wake of a landmark Supreme Court decision, San Joaquin County is deliberating a robust update to its no camping ordinance that would levy significant penalties, including fines and potential jail time, on individuals found sleeping on public property. The proposed policy revision comes as the county grapples with a reported homeless population of 4,732 individuals. Under the new regulations, the definition of illegal camping extends to setting up a tent, creating any form of a shelter for sleep, or staying in a parked vehicle for over an hour, KCRA 3 reports.
If passed, this misdemeanor could lead to a fine of up to $1,000 or up to six months in jail. The stricter enforcement measures have been positioned by Sheriff Patrick Withrow as a part of a solution to protect local businesses and civic spaces, according to an incident he described involving an assault on a county employee by an individual experiencing homelessness. "We cannot allow our county to in the businesses here in our neighborhoods to continue to be, damaged by these folks living out here on the streets and, this is just an incentive to make sure that they, they follow the law and get the help that's offered to them," Withrow told KCRA 3.
Residents like Careen Chamorro, who lives in a tent due to a lack of suitable shelter accommodations, fear that the ordinance would unfairly penalize those who simply have nowhere else to turn. In a wheelchair and unable to climb to a shelter's upper bunks, Chamorro feels that the services offered do not meet the needs of people with disabilities. "We're like a community, a family like right here. We all look out for each other and, I mean, it's not like we're out here selling drugs or doing all that. We're just living," Chamorro expressed to KCRA 3.
San Joaquin County Supervisor Paul Canepa acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating, "We're actively looking for, safe camping because, I mean, you can't it's just moving them from one place to another is not good. It's not good for their well-being, and it's not good for the people that have to go and displace them," a statement obtained by KCRA 3. The Board of Supervisors will vote on the ordinance later this month, shaping the approach to homelessness in the county for the immediate future, as reported by CBS News Sacramento.
