CC SR 20211102 04 - Unhoused Resources and Camping Ordinance
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 11/02/2021
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to amend Chapter 12.16.140 of the Rancho Palos
Verdes Municipal Code related to the prohibition of camping in public places.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Introduce Ordinance No. ____, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO
PALOS VERDES REPEALING AND REPLACING SECTION 12.16.140
(OVERNIGHT CAMPING WITHIN THE PALOS VERDES NATURE PRESERVE
PROHIBITED) OF CHAPTER 12.16 (STREETS, PARKS, AND RECREATIONAL
FACILITIES) OF TITLE 12 (STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES)
WITH SECTION 12.16.140 (PROHIBITION OF CAMPING AND STORAGE OF
PERSONAL PROPERTY IN PUBLIC PLACES) OF THE RANCHO PALOS
VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE;
(2) Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to Governor Newsom and the Los Angeles
County Board of Supervisors supporting recent actions to provide financial support
for local homelessness programs, and to ensure that unhoused persons have
access to support they need, including mental health care; and
(3) Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to Senator Feinstein, Senator Padilla, and
Congressman Lieu in support of S. 2357 and H.R 4464, the Fighting
Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: McKenzie Bright, Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Draft Ordinance No. _____ (page A-1)
B. Draft letter to Governor Newsom and the Los Angeles County Board of
Supervisors regarding continued efforts to provide comprehensive
supportive services to unhoused persons (page B-1)
1
CITYOF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
C. Draft letter to Senator Feinstein, Senator Padilla, and Congressman Lieu in
support of the Fighting Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act
(page C-1)
D. July 20, 2021, Staff Report
BACKGROUND:
At its July 20, 2021 meeting, the City Council discussed, among other things, resources
available to unhoused persons within the City and the possibility of a n anti-camping
ordinance to protect public health and safety. In considering adopting an anti-camping
ordinance, the following information is being provided as background.
As was discussed, the main referral point for unhoused individuals in Rancho Palos
Verdes is the Los Angeles County Homeless Outreach Portal (LA-HOP), accessible at la-
hop.org. The City, Sheriff’s Department, and concerned residents can utilize LA -HOP
when they encounter an unhoused individual, and a homeless outreach team will be
dispatched to connect with the individual and assist them in accessing L.A. County’s
Continuum of Care (CoC). The CoC is a network of service providers and assists with
finding shelter options, as well as providing comprehensive supportive services, including
mental health services, general health services, transition support to permanent housing,
and job support, among other programs. Unhoused persons approached by an outreach
team may be hesitant to accept assistance, but the outreach team will continue to engage
with the individual whenever possible, in order to connect them with any resources that
meet their needs.
Links to additional County resources are available on the City website.
In 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling in Martin v. City of Boise,
902 F.3d 1031, 1048 (9th Cir. 2019), essentially stating that homeless individuals cannot
be punished for sleeping on the streets when there is no other shelter option because it
violates the Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment.
However, the Ninth Circuit also made clear that this ruling “does not cover individuals who
do have access to adequate temporary shelter, whether because they have the means
to pay for it or because it is realistically available to them for free, but who choose not to
use it. Nor do we suggest that a jurisdiction with insufficient shelter can never criminalize
the act of sleeping outside. Even where shelter is unavailable, an ordinance prohib iting
sitting, lying, or sleeping outside at particular times or in particular locations might well be
constitutionally permissible. So, too, might an ordinance barring the obstruction of public
rights of way or the erection of certain structures.” Id. at n. 8.
Related to this, on August 10, 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted
to prohibit homeless encampments in designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones
(VHFHSZs) in unincorporated areas of the county, due to the risk of fire and the difficulty
2
in notifying and evacuating unhoused persons camping in remote VHFHSZs.1 The Board
additionally directed various County departments to identify encampments within
unincorporated VHFHSZs, provide outreach, and offer resources following Los Angeles
Homeless Services Authority’s (LAHSA) best practices for addressing street
encampments, including rehousing services.
In response to City Council directive, as discussed in detail below, Staff has prepared a
draft ordinance prohibiting camping and storage of personal property in specified public
places for consideration this evening. Recognizing the developing parameters of the law,
the ordinance recommended by this staff report represents an appropriate balance
between the City’s need to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of the community
at large and the Ninth Circuit’s prohibition on criminalizing being homeless.
Additionally, Staff has prepared draft letters to elected officials expressing support for
continued investment into resources for unhoused persons.
DISCUSSION:
Camping Prohibition Ordinance:
Existing Section 12.16.140 of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal Code (RPVMC)
prohibits camping in the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. In recognition that camping
anywhere within City limits creates potentially unsanitary, unhealthy, disorderly and
dangerous conditions that may affect campers and the general public, including lack of
adequate sanitary facilities and risk of wildfire, prepared for the City Council’s
consideration is an ordinance prohibiting camping and storage of private property in any
public place.
The proposed code amendment will repeal and replace this section with a prohibition of
camping and storage of personal prope rty in any public place within the City (see
Attachment A). The proposed amendment also includes language regarding camping by
necessity whereby every shelter in the area is at capacity, for example, that establishes
safe camping locations and maintains the prohibition on select areas of the City which
would pose a significant threat to public health and/or safety, and the preservation of the
area for its intended use. This is in an effort to align with the Martin v. City of Boise ruling.
As proposed in the draft ordinance, camping by necessity would be prohibited in the
following public places, establishing safe camping criteria:
• Areas which would not allow direct passage as required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act
• Palos Verdes Nature Preserve
• City parks, including playgrounds, picnic areas, tables, bleachers and benches
• Beaches
1 See August 10, 2021 motion by Supervisors Kuehl and Barger: Reducing the Risk of Fires Associated
with Homeless Encampments in High Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
3
• Interior spaces of City facilities outside of posted hours of operation, or any City
facilities not open to the public
• Landscaped areas, or any manicured or natural ground covered areas, and
• Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ).
Due to the City being located nearly entirely within a VHFHSZ, the draft ordinance
prohibits camping in a VHFHSZ at all times. Law enforcement personnel may direct
individuals needing an immediate place to sleep to the safest suitable location within the
City, so long as all other safe camping criteria (as defined above) are met other than the
VHFHSZ prohibition. For example, an individual may be directed to a bus stop as the
safest suitable location within the VHFHSZ, but would not be directed to a park bench as
that is prohibited in the safe camping criteria.
Camping in the above-named locations pose a great risk to public health and safety,
detracts from the use of the property from its intended purpose, and/or degrades or
destroys the property upon which the camping occurs. Camping in VHFHSZs is a
particular hazard, as the risk of wildfire poses a significant danger to all residents of the
City regardless of their housing status. Brush fires are known to have started due to illegal
open fires or were caused by activities at unauthorized camping sites, and such a
provision aligns with the County’s prohibition of homeless encampments in
unincorporated VHFHSZs, to prevent the occurrences of fire and loss of life .
The proposed ordinance also creates a mechanism for exclusion of these provisions in
the event of an emergency such as fire or earthquake, or whereby the Director of
Recreation and Parks or the City Manager has approved an organized and supervised
recreational activity in parks within the City. Currently, camping by organized groups is
permitted at the Civic Center with the appropriate City approvals.
In terms of enforcement of the ordinance, the City contracts with the Los Angeles County
Sheriff’s Department (LASD), which has the following policies related to contact with
homeless individuals and removal of personal property:
• Contact with Homeless Individuals: Deputies will attempt to assist individuals
experiencing homelessness through the referral process in lieu of arrest for non -
violent, low level offenses when possible, including contact homeless outreach
experts and service providers.2
• Personal Property Belonging to a Homeless Person: When a homeless individual
is arrested or otherwise removed from a public place, Department personnel shall
make reasonable accommodations to permit the individual to lawfully secure
his/her personal property.3 It should be noted that the Lomita Station has limited
storage capacity to safely secure personal property and other locations in the City
may have to be used to safely secure personal property, such as the Cit y’s
maintenance yard.
2 See LASD Manual of Policy and Procedures 5-09/065.00 – Contact with Homeless Individuals.
3 See LASD Manual of Policy and Procedures 5-09/065.10 – Personal Property Belonging to a Homeless
Person.
4
In addition to the above, if a deputy observes an action that is criminal in nature,
appropriate enforcement action is taken.
Per LASD policy and presuming that it has been determined that there are no available
beds on a given night permitting camping by necessity, if an individual is found to be in
noncompliance with proposed Section 12.16.140(D) of the RPVMC, the Sheriff’s Deputies
would initially seek to educate the individual on the ordinance and request that they move
to a safe camping location. If the individual refuses to move, they may be subject to an
administrative fine pursuant to Section 1.16 of the RPVMC.
The proposed revisions to Section 12.16.140 of the RPVMC expands the City’s current
camping prohibition from the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve to any public place; prohibits
the storage of personal property in any public place within the City, except as mandated
by applicable law; and outlines criteria for safe camping when individuals are camping by
necessity.
Letters to Representatives Supporting Funding Investments for the Unhoused
Cities that amended their camping ordinances after of the Martin v. City of Boise ruling
typically supplemented broader camping prohibitions with additional housing options,
such as construction of temporary or permanent shelters, or institution or expansion of
housing voucher program(s). The City of Rancho Palos Verdes has very limited housing
and service capabilities and relies on the LA CoC network. As a result, in conjunction with
this ordinance change, Staff recommends the City Council consider sending letters of
support for recently approved or proposed funding investments to Coun ty, State, and
Federal representatives, particularly investment for those experiencing substance abuse
or mental illness, as discussed below.
Federal and State Investments or Proposed Investments:
Utilizing data from January 2020 homeless point-in-time (PIT) counts, 28% of unhoused
persons in the United States were located in California (161,458 individuals), nearly 40%
of whom were located in Los Angeles County (63,706 individuals).4 In L.A. County, at the
2020 PIT count, 41% of adults 18+ surveyed had a substance abuse disorder and/or
serious mental illness, representing over 23,000 individuals in shelters or on the streets.5
The unhoused population in the County has increased by about 53% since 2015.
However, 80% of unsheltered Angelenos have resided in the County (been within the LA
4 State and Federal data from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, “California
Homelessness Statistics.” See https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ca. County data from the
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, “2020 Homeless Count by Service Planning Area.” See
https://www.lahsa.org/data?id=42-2020-homeless-count-by-service-planning-area.
5 27% of individuals (15,203) reported a substance use disorder: 25% of individuals (14,125) reported a
serious mental illness: approximately 6,000 individuals reported both a substance use disorder and
serious mental illness. See LAHSA, “2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Presentation” at
https://www.lahsa.org/documents?id=4558-2020-greater-los-angeles-homeless-count-presentation
5
CoC) for more than five years, and more than two-thirds of unsheltered Angelenos
resided in L.A. County before becoming homeless.6
There are many factors that contribute to homelessness, including lack of affordable
housing, wages not keeping pace with rising rents, discrimination (such as “redlining”),
sudden loss of income, domestic violence, physical or mental health challenges, “aging
out” of foster care, sexual orientation causing family conflict, and unresolved trauma
including post traumatic stress disorder.
The County, State, and Federal government are attempting to take actions to remedy the
homelessness crisis, including allocating additional funding for provision of services and
construction or redevelopment of shelter options.
The County funds these projects through Measure H (details in the following section),
which has been supplemented with state and federal funds as a result of coronavirus
response. In the last four years, the County’s homeless services system has helped
70,000 people obtain permanent housing and 95,000 people obtain temporary shelter,
with Measure H funded programs accounting for 40% and 60% of those placements,
respectively.
The State of California recently passed a $22 billion package of bills to address the
homelessness and housing affordability crisis.7 This funding includes a $12 billion
allocation for homelessness and behavioral health services to help get tens of thousands
of people off the streets or avoid homelessness altogether. It also includes $3.9 billion to
expand service-enhanced mental health housing, behavioral health housing for people
needing conservatorship or intensive behavioral health services, and veterans’ services
for formerly unhoused veterans.
At the federal level, Senator Feinstein and Senator Padilla (California), and Congressman
Ted Lieu (Los Angeles County) introduced the Fighting Homelessness Through Services
and Housing Act on July 15, 2021. The Act would provide $1 billion annually for five years
to fund supportive housing models that provide comprehensive services and inten sive
case management. These services must address issues including mental health,
substance use disorders, disabling or other chronic health conditions, education and job
training/employment outcomes and life skills classes. This act would complement the $22
billion in funding currently be provided by the State of California.
While this funding is an important initial step in combatting the growing homelessness
crisis, more and longer-term solutions are needed to ensure that housing and services
are available for any and all unhoused persons , in order to assist in providing rapid
rehousing for unhoused individuals.
6 See “2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count Presentation”
7 See Governor Newsom Signs legislation to Address Homelessness and Mental Health Services,
Highlights $22 Billion Housing and Homelessness Package.
6
Staff therefore recommends the City Council send letters to Governor Newsom and the
Board of Supervisors (see Attachment B) and the City’s federal representatives (see
Attachment C), expressing support for the recent and proposed funding allocations, and
requesting that solutions to homelessness continue to be prioritized.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Measure H Grant Opportunities to Support Homeless Programs
Measure H, approved by County voters in March 2017, is a quarter percent increase to
the County’s sales tax to provide an ongoing revenue stream – an estimated $355 million
per year for 10 years — to fund services, rental subsidies and housing. It is designed to
fund a comprehensive regional approach to combating homelessness. A portion of
Measure H funds are typically allocated annually to each Council of Governments
(COGs), proportionate to their PIT count estimates. COGs have the discretion to develop
how these funds are allocated to member cities and service partners. Sout h Bay Cities
Council of Governments (SBCCOG) typically solicits applications, and funding
recommendations are made to the SBCCOG Board of Directors for approval based on a
competitive process.
Measure H grants awarded typically factor in the number of unhoused persons served by
the program, as assessed at the PIT count, and if the program will increase the County’s
service capacities, such as construction and staffing of a shelter facility, or provision of
outreach services, with the County’s current preference to increase shelter capacities.
There are additional grants through state programs, but they typically award funds directly
to CoCs and large cities that provide direct services for unhoused persons. The City
benefits from such grants in that they strengthen the efficacy of the network as a whole.
Potential South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) Homeless Grant for the
City
On July 13, 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved funding
recommendations for Measure H-eligible Homeless Initiative strategies. The SBCCOG
received an allocation of $1,905,000, proportionate to the 2020 PIT count, and solicited
applications from member cities and service partners to allocate the funds. The City
submitted a request for $20,000 to hire a consultant to develop the City’s Plan to Prevent
and Combat Homelessness. Homelessness Plans develop goals and strategies for
addressing homelessness and are often prerequisites for additional Measure H funding.
The City’s request was recommended to be allocated by the SBCCOG Innovation Fund
Review Panel and the Steering Committee. The Board of Directors is expected to make
a final decision on October 28, after this report has been published. Staff will report out
at tonight’s meeting on the results of this decision and will return at a future date with
additional information on the funds and for Council direction.
7
SBCCOG Homeless Services
In the development of this staff report, Staff met with Jacki Bacharach, Executive Director,
and David Leger, Analyst and Assistant Board Secretary, of the SBCCOG. Staff would
like to thank the SBCCOG for its continued cooperation with the City, and for its work in
funding regional resources, which benefit all South Bay cities.
The SBCCOG takes part in regional policies and initiatives and provides direct funding in
support of Harbor Interfaith Services and People Assisting the Homeless (PATH),
supplementing the County support. As discussed at the July 20, 2021 meeting (see
Attachment D), Harbor Interfaith and PA TH serve as Coordinated Entry System (CES)
leads, providing intake and case management services for unhoused persons in the
South Bay.
The SBCCOG also has a Homeless Services Task Force, which meets bimonthly to
discuss homeless issues impacting the South Bay and how to deal with these issues. City
Staff members attend the meetings. The Homeless Services Task Force is a valuable
resource for connecting with resources. Based on Staff’s discussion with the SBCCOG,
an additional focus on mental health resources for unhoused persons will be developed
for the Task Force.
The City looks forward to continued partnership with the SBCCOG to address homeless
issues, as it provides valuable regional services and coordination at a more specific and
tailored level than the LA CoC as a whole. Staff will provide the SBCCOG with a copy of
this staff report and the draft ordinance.
Update on City Discussions with Dr. William Fleury
Subsequent to the July 20 meeting, Staff met with Dr. William Fleury who provided a
summary on a homeless white paper he is in the process of authoring and provided public
comments on his white paper at the meeting. Dr. Fleury and his associates, based in the
Wilmington/San Pedro area, are considering encouraging the Legislature to introduce
legislation that would streamline the process for conservatorships for mentally ill
unhoused persons. Should this legislation be introduced, Staff may return for further
direction in supporting his letter or taking a position on the bill.
CONCLUSION:
To protect public health, safety, and general welfare, Staff recommends the City Council
introduce an ordinance this evening that prohibits camping and storage of personal
property in public places. Staff also recommends the City Council authorize the Mayor to
sign letters as drafted or with revisions to County, State, and Federal representatives,
expressing support for recently approved or proposed funding for homeless services and
shelters and encouraging continued financial support of such programs.
8
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Identify revisions to the proposed code amendment text and direct Staff to return
with a revised ordinance for reintroduction at the December 7, 2021 meeting.
2. Do not adopt the proposed ordinance, thereby continuing the existing sole
prohibition of camping in the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
3. Identify revised language to add to the letter(s).
4. Do not authorize the Mayor to sign the letter(s).
5. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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Ordinance No. __
Page 1 of 6
ORDINANCE NO. ____
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES REPEALING AND REPLACING SECTION
12.16.140 (OVERNIGHT CAMPING WITHIN THE PALOS
VERDES NATURE PRESERVE PROHIBITED) OF
CHAPTER 12.16 (STREETS, PARKS, AND
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES) OF TITLE 12 (STREETS,
SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES) WITH SECTION
12.16.140 (PROHIBITION OF CAMPING AND STORAGE
OF PERSONAL PROPERTY IN PUBLIC PLACES) OF THE
RANCHO PALOS VERDES MUNICIPAL CODE
WHEREAS, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes (“City”) encourages the use of open
space and recreational facilities within the City by all members of the community; and
WHEREAS, unauthorized camping within City limits creates unsanitary, unhealthy,
disorderly, and dangerous conditions that may affect both the campers and the general
public; and
WHEREAS, unauthorized camping within City limits tends to degrade or even
destroy the property upon which the camping occurs, particularly in situations where an
encampment occurs, and may become large and ongoing; and
WHEREAS, unauthorized camping within the City limits detracts from the use of
the property for its intended purposes; and
WHEREAS, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors prohibited homeless
encampments in unincorporated County designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity
Zones to prevent occurrences of fire and loss of life; and
WHEREAS, most of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes is designated as a Very High
Fire Hazard Severity Zones; and
WHEREAS the City has the authority to regulate to ensure the public’s health,
safety, and general welfare, and desires to regulate camping within the City; and
WHEREAS, a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision, Martin v. City of Boise
(2019), prohibits criminal prosecution for sleeping outside when shelter is unavailable;
and
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Ordinance No. __
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WHEREAS, the ruling in Martin v. City of Boise does not apply to individuals who
have reasonable access to temporary shelter, whether because they have the means to
pay for it or because it is realistically available to them for free; and
WHEREAS, the Ninth Circuit expressed that even where shelter is unavailable, an
ordinance prohibiting sitting, lying or sleeping outside at particular times or in particular
locations may be allowed under the U.S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS, the City intends to act in accordance with the Martin v. City of Boise
decision; and
WHEREAS, the City finds that prohibiting unauthorized camping in the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes will best serve the public’s health, safety, and general welfare.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS
VERDES, CALIFORNIA, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The foregoing recitals are true and correct, and the City Council finds
the same to be material to the adoption of this ordinance and incorporates them herein
by reference.
Section 2: Section 12.16.140 (Overnight camping within the Palos Verdes
Nature Preserve prohibited) of Chapter 12.16 (Streets, Parks, and Recreational Facilities)
of Title 12 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places) of the Rancho Palos Verdes Municipal
Code is hereby repealed and replaced to read (repealed text in strikethrough and added
text in bold italics):
12.16.140 - Overnight camping within the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve
prohibited.
No person shall camp within the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve. For the purposes
of this section, "camp" shall mean to remain on site overnight, whether entirely out
of doors or utilizing an enclosed or semi-enclosed temporary accommodation,
including but not limited to, a tent, tarp, canopy, trailer, recreational vehicle,
passenger car or truck.
12.16.140 – Prohibition of Camping and Storage of Personal Property in
Public Places
A. Purpose. This Section is intended to protect the public health, welfare
and safety by reserving open spaces and facilities within the City
limits for their intended purposes. Public property within the City
should be readily accessible and available to residents and the public
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Ordinance No. __
Page 3 of 6
at large. The use of these areas for unauthorized camping (sleeping)
purposes or storage of personal property in public places interferes
with the rights of others to use the areas for their intended purposes
and is deleterious to the public peace, health, safety and welfare and
can cause damage to public property. This Section is intended to
avoid unsafe and potentially disorderly conditions, unsanitary and
unhealthful conditions, and the degradation or destruction of public
places within the City.
B. It shall be unlawful for any person to camp or use camp paraphernalia
used in any public place, except as otherwise provided herein or
mandated by applicable law.
C. It shall be unlawful for any person to store personal property,
including camp paraphernalia, in any public place within the City, such
that property is left unattended for any length of time, except as
otherwise provided herein or mandated by applicable law.
D. The provisions in the Section shall not apply to any individual
camping by necessity, including, for example, those instances in
which every shelter in the local area is at capacity. If the individual is
camping by necessity, the following criteria for safe camping shall
apply:
1. At no time shall any person obstruct access to a street,
sidewalk, park playground, public utility, public property, or
other public right-of-way open for pedestrian travel or
governmental use by sitting, lying or sleeping, or by using,
maintaining or placing personal property in a manner that does
not allow for passage as required by the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended from time to time, or within
ten (10) feet of any operational or utilizable entrance, exit,
driveway, or loading dock, or by creating any barrier with string,
wire, rope or chain or other attachments or appurtenances upon
City owned trees, light poles, fences, equipment, or other public
facilities.
2. The use of public utilities not designated for public use is
prohibited.
3. Camping is prohibited in the following areas:
i. Palos Verdes Nature Preserve,
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Ordinance No. __
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ii. City parks, including playgrounds, picnic areas, tables,
bleachers, and benches,
iii. Beaches,
iv. Interior spaces of City facilities outside of posted hours
of operation, City-authorized events, or any City facilities
not open to the public, and
v. Landscaped Areas.
4. Camping is prohibited in the City designated Very High Fire
Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) at all times. Individuals
needing an immediate place to rest between the hours of 10:00
p.m. and 4:30 a.m. may be directed to the safest suitable
location by law enforcement personnel so long as all other safe
camping criteria are met.
E. The provisions of this Section shall not apply in the event of an
emergency, including a City declared emergency or natural disaster,
such as fire or earthquake, nor to any persons participating in
organized and supervised recreational activities in parks within the
City, as approved by the City’s Director of Recreation and Parks or the
City Manager.
F. Definitions. The terms used in this Municipal Code shall be defined as
follows:
“Camp” shall mean to remain on site for sleeping purposes, whether entirely
out of doors or utilizing an enclosed or semi enclosed temporary
accommodation or camp paraphernalia, including but not limited to, a tent,
tarp, canopy, trailer, recreational vehicle, passenger car or truck.
“Camp paraphernalia” includes, but is not limited to, tarpaulins, cots, beds,
sleeping bags, hammocks, or non-City designated cooking or heating
facilities and similar equipment.
“Landscaped area” shall mean any manicured or natural ground covered
areas including but not limited to flower beds, bushes, brush areas, or
shrubs.
“Public place” shall mean public property, whether improved or unimproved,
and includes but is not limited to publicly-owned parking lots, driveways,
open space, parks, streets, rights of way, alleys, trails, sidewalks, paths, and
walkways.
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Ordinance No. __
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“Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone” shall mean mapped area as defined
by the Office of State Fire Marshal that designates zones based on factors
such as fuel, slope and fire weather with varying degrees of fire hazard (i.e.,
moderate, high and very high).
Section 3: The City Council finds that this Ordinance is exempt from the
requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because: (1) it does not
constitute a “project” under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2) in that it constitutes
general policy and procedure making; (2) it does not constitute a “project” under CEQA
Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) in that it has no potential for resulting in physical change
to the environment, either directly or indirectly, and (3) in the alternative, it is exempt from
CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(2), since the activity will not result
in direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and
Section 15061(b)(3), since it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this
Ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment, because the Ordinance
merely regulates camping and storage of personal property in public places.
Section 4: Severability. The City Council hereby declares, if any provision, section,
subsection, paragraph, sentence, phrase or word of this ordinance is rendered or
declared invalid, unconstitutional or unenforceable by any final action in a court of
competent jurisdiction or by reason of any preemptive legislation, the City Council would
have independently adopted the remaining provisions, sections, subsections,
paragraphs, sentences, phrases or words of this ordinance and as such they shall remain
in full force and effect.
Section 5: Effectiveness of Ordinance. This Ordinance shall take effect 30 days
after its adoption.
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Ordinance No. __
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PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THE __TH DAY OF ____________ 2021.
___________________________
Eric Alegria, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
State of California )
County of Los Angeles ) ss
City of Rancho Palos Verdes )
I, Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, hereby certify that the
whole number of members of the City Council of said City is five; that the foregoing
Ordinance No. ____ passed first reading on __________________, 2021, was duly and
regularly adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting thereof held on
___________________, 2021, and that the same was passed and adopted by the
following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
________________________
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
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November 2, 2021 Via Email
The Honorable Gavin Newsom
1303 10th Street, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
L.A. County Board of Supervisors
Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
SUBJECT: Support for Continuing Efforts to Provide Comprehensive Supportive
Services to Unhoused Persons
Dear Governor Newsom, Chair Solis and Members of the Board of Supervisors:
Thank you for your continued investment and support of systems for unhoused persons
in Los Angeles County and throughout the State of California. As you know, California
has a severe homelessness crisis. Utilizing data from the January 2020 point-in-time (PIT)
count, California’s unhoused individuals represented over 28% of all unhoused persons
in the country: nearly 40% of whom resided in Los Angeles County .1
Of those in L.A. County, at the 2020 PIT count, 41% of adults 18+ surveyed had a
substance abuse disorder and/or serious mental illness, representing over 23,000
individuals in shelters or on the streets. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes appreciates the
work being done at the State and County levels, and we would request that these efforts
continue to be a priority and funding increased to remedy this growing crisis. Additional
outreach plans and service capabilities are needed to serve unhoused persons,
particularly those with substance abuse disorders or serious mental illness.
We especially appreciate the $3.9 billion investment as part of the California Comeback
Plan for mental health, including of service-enhanced mental health Project Homekey
housing, and behavioral health housing for people needing conservatorship or intensive
behavioral health services. These services are vital to ensure that unhoused persons
have access to available support, no matter their history with substance abuse or s erious
1 State and Federal data from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, “California
Homelessness Statistics.” See https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ca. County data from the
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, “2020 Homeless Count by Service Planning Area.” See
https://www.lahsa.org/data?id=42-2020-homeless-count-by-service-planning-area.
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ER IC ALEGR IA, MAYOR
DAVID D. BRADLEY , MAYOR PR O TE M
JOH N C RUll<S HAN I<, COUNC IL MEMBER
l<EN DYDA, COUNC ILMEMBER
B ARB ARA FERRARO, COUNC IL MEMBER
Governor Newsom, Chair Solis, and Members of the Board of Supervisors
November 2, 2021
Page 2
mental illness, and this priority must continue beyond the California Comeback Plan and
be implemented by Continuums of Care (CoCs) like the L.A. CoC.
The CoC model is beneficial for cities like Rancho Palos Verdes, which otherwise would
not be able to provide the same level of support and services to unhoused individuals
without the systems provided by the County, the Los Angeles Homeless Services
Authority (LAHSA), and the South Bay Council of Governments (SBCCOG). Providing
these services is beyond our organizational capacity but is no less of a priority to ensure
that all individuals in the City have access to the care and resources they need, and a
safe place to stay at night.
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes applauds the recent actions to increase capacities to
transition unhoused persons to permanent housing, with appropriate support, and
encourages the State and the County to continue to invest to help provide for these
individuals and ensure they have access to the assistance they need.
Sincerely,
Eric Alegria
Mayor, City of Rancho Palos Verdes
cc: Jackie Bacharach, South Bay Cities Council of Governments
South Bay Cities Council of Governments, Homeless Services Task Force
Jeff Kiernan, League of California Cities
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council and City Manager
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November 2, 2021 Via Email
The Honorable Diane Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Alex Padilla
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Ted Lieu
United States House of Representatives
403 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
SUBJECT: Notice of Support for Comprehensive Homeless Services Funding
Dear Senator Feinstein, Senator Padilla, and Congressman Lieu:
Thank you for your introduction of the Fighting Homelessness Through Services Act. The
City of Rancho Palos Verdes supports this bill and the package of federal funding bills
pertaining to the homelessness crisis and their intention that provides funding for
supportive housing models that provide comprehensive services and intensive case
management, with services that address issues including mental health, substance use
disorders, disabling or other chronic health conditions, education and job
training/employment outcomes and life skills classes.
As you are aware, the homelessness crisis in California is overwhelming. Utilizing data
from the January 2020 point-in-time (PIT) count, California’s unhoused individuals
represented over 28% of all unhoused persons in the country: nearly 40% of whom
resided in Los Angeles County.1
1 State and Federal data from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, “California
Homelessness Statistics.” See https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ca. County data from the
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, “2020 Homeless Count by Service Planning Area.” See
https://www.lahsa.org/data?id=42-2020-homeless-count-by-service-planning-area
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ER IC ALEGR IA, MAYOR
DAVID D. BRADLEY , MAYOR PR O TE M
JOH N C RUll<S HAN I<, COUNC IL MEMBER
l<EN DYDA, COUNC ILMEMBER
B ARB ARA FERRARO, COUNC IL MEMBER
Senator Feinstein, Senator Padilla and Congressman Lieu
November 2, 2021
Page 2
Of those in L.A. County, at the 2020 PIT count, 41% of adults 18+ surveyed had a
substance abuse disorder and/or serious mental illness, representing over 23,000
individuals in shelters or on the streets.
Supportive services are vital to ensure that unhoused persons have access to available
support, with federal funding so these programs can be implemented by Continuums of
Care (CoCs) like the Los Angeles CoC, supporting most of Los Angeles County .
The CoC model is beneficial for cities like Rancho Palos Ve rdes, which otherwise would
not be able to provide the same level of support and services to unhoused individuals
without the systems provided by Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Homeless
Services Authority (LAHSA), and the South Bay Council of Governme nts (SBCCOG).
Providing these services is beyond our organizational capacity but is no less of a priority
to ensure that all individuals in the City have access to the care and resources they need,
and a safe place to stay at night.
The City of Rancho Palos Verdes strongly supports S. 2357 and H.R. 4464, the Fighting
Homelessness Through Services and Housing Act, and encourages our federal
representatives to continue to work to provide federal funds and oversight for
comprehensive supportive services.
Sincerely,
Eric Alegria
Mayor, City of Rancho Palos Verdes
cc: Ben Allen, Senator, 26th State Senate District
Al Muratsuchi, Assembly Member, 66th Assembly District
Janice Hahn, L.A. County Supervisor, 4th District
Jacki Bacharach, South Bay Cities Council of Governments
Rancho Palos Verdes City Council and City Manager
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