Fullerton Considers Cracking Down on Homeless Camps

Fullerton is the latest Orange County metropolis to look astatine tightening anti-camping policies successful airy of a Supreme Court determination that made it ineligible for cities to mention and apprehension radical sleeping connected sidewalks and parks adjacent if nary structure beds are available. 

Previously, it was unlawful for a idiosyncratic to beryllium punished for sleeping connected nationalist spot unless the metropolis had a definite fig of structure beds. 

If Fullerton officials extremity up tightening the city’s anti-camping ordinance, the municipality volition articulation a big Orange County cities that overhauled section anti-camping laws aft the Supreme Court ruling – including Anaheim, Brea, Irvine and Santa Ana. 

[Read: Another Orange County City Cracks Down connected Homeless Camps]

It comes arsenic advocates passim OC accidental the crackdowns volition pb to the criminalization of stateless people, portion proponents of anti-camping laws accidental it helps support nationalist places similar parks safer and cleaner. 

Last week, Fullerton City Council members considered what the adjacent steps are for the city’s homelessness colonisation — which has accrued successful the past 2 years — and directed metropolis unit to bring backmost anti-camping proposals successful March.

Staff is presently assessing enforcement impacts from neighboring cities and volition instrumentality with projected ordinance updates. 

Councilman Ahmad Zahra said astatine the gathering that helium thought the metropolis has improved their quality to get stateless radical disconnected of the streets temporarily, but needed to fortify semipermanent solutions. 

“While we’ve accomplished rather a spot connected the abbreviated term, semipermanent solutions haven’t truly been invested successful properly,” Zahra said astatine the Feb. 4 meeting. 

“How tin we differentiate these individuals and prioritize the radical that bash privation these services and spot if we tin get them disconnected the street? I deliberation that’s fractional the problem. I cognize we request to get them into imperishable housing, but I deliberation we besides request to get them disconnected the street,” helium said. 

The past clip Fullerton updated their homelessness authorities was successful December 2023, erstwhile they passed an ordinance prohibiting camping adjacent metropolis buildings, hospitals, roads and different types of properties “vital to the city’s operation,” according to the unit report. 

Meanwhile, the 2024 Point successful Time study showed that Fullerton had 434 stateless people, with 208 of those unhoused. 

In 2022, Fullerton had 272 stateless people, with 202 unhoused. 

In that timeframe, the metropolis astir tripled their sheltered beds service, according to Mayor Fred Jung. 

“There’s existent numbers successful present that are concerning to me,” Jung said astatine the Feb. 4 meeting. “I deliberation we person a fiduciary work to halt this benignant of enactment arsenic champion arsenic we can. And evidently we are providing the indispensable services, and we’re conscionable not getting this fig down.” 

Fullerton has spent $4.53 cardinal contributing to the North SPA Navigation centers implicit 5 years, which financially supports 290 structure beds. 

The metropolis besides spends implicit $780,000 connected the Fullerton Navigation Center annually, which funds 40 exigency structure beds and 110 recuperative attraction beds. 

Officials besides connection a motel voucher programme which is funded with national money. 

At the meeting, metropolis officials warned that successful aboriginal years, Fullerton whitethorn request to boost the city’s wide money to support stateless services astatine the aforesaid level. 

Deputy City Manager Daisy Perez said determination was a caller alteration successful authorities funding, which helps wage for the North SPA shelter. 

She besides said that the national wealth being utilized to assistance money the Fullerton Navigation Center is moving out. Fullerton received astir $2 cardinal of COVID alleviation wealth successful 2021. 

It comes arsenic the metropolis grapples with a $9.5 cardinal fund shortage this fiscal year, and it’s projected to scope $20 cardinal wrong the adjacent 2 years. 

[Read: How Can Fullerton Prevent a Projected $20 Million Spending Deficit successful Three Years?]

Fullerton besides cleans encampments bimonthly, and spends $180,000 annually connected the efforts, City Manager Eric Levitt said. 

Eleven arrests person been made for violations of the encampment ordinance, according to Fullerton Police Chief Jon Radus.

Emily Wilson is simply a Voice of OC intern. You tin scope her astatine egwilson33@gmail.com oregon connected Twitter @ewilssson.