--- [ ARCHIVE ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) # California City Bans Homeless from Sleeping Outside … ‘Don’t Like it, Leave’ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Nov-2014/91i.png)NOT ONLY CITY TO CHASE HOMELESS-Last week, the city council of Manteca, CA unanimously [passed two ordinances](http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/1/article/117090/) aimed at clearing out the homeless population. One will ban people from sleeping or setting up encampments on any public or private property as of December 4, although the homeless [won’t be jailed or fined](http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/2014/11/07/manteca-bans-homeless-encampments/15999348/). It will, however, allow the police to tear down any homeless sleeping areas as soon as they appear without having to be invited by the property owner, as was the case previously. Explaining why the ordinance is necessary, Police Chief Nick Obligacion said, “The goal is actually to correct the wrong. So, if the correction is them leaving Manteca, then that’s their choice.” He also opposes any sort of shelter for the homeless. The other ordinance bans public urination and defecation, but also comes after the city temporarily closed public restrooms in a park, a location often used by the homeless to relieve themselves in private. Manteca is only the latest American city to respond to the problem of mass homelessness by criminalizing it. In 187 cities across the country, there has been [an uptick in every kind of ordinance](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/07/16/3460553/homeless-criminalization-report/) aimed at making it illegal to be homeless, such as [banning people from lying down](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/04/21/3428899/fort-lauderdale-criminalize-homelessness/) or having possessions with them as in Fort Lauderdale, FL; prohibiting people from [sitting or lying down on sidewalks](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/06/03/3443963/honolulu-mayor-homeless/), such as in Honolulu, HI; or making it [illegal to sleep in public](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/08/06/2423041/palo-alto-homeless/), such as in Palo Alto, CA. Manteca’s ban on encampments is widespread, as 34 percent of cities have bans on camping in public, a 60 percent increase from 2011. Some have even made it illegal to help the homeless: [13 cities](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/10/22/3583005/fort-lauderdale-feed-homeless/) have restricted where people can give them food, and one 90-year-old man in Fort Lauderdale has been[arrested for doing just that](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/11/06/3589693/ft-lauderdale-arrest-feeding-homeless/). And others look as if they are trying to simply ship the homeless elsewhere, as in Waikiki, HI, where 120 homeless people will be given [one-way plane tickets](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/11/03/3587685/hawaii-homeless-120-tickets/) to the mainland, or San Diego, CA, which considered giving them [one-way bus tickets](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/10/16/3580461/san-diego-homeless-tickets/). --- {module \[862\]} {module \[662\]} --- But cities that have actually ended homelessness take a very different approach. [Phoenix, AZ](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/12/23/3099911/phoenix-homeless/) and [Salt Lake City, UT](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/01/06/3124991/salt-lake-city-homelessness/) have both ended chronic homelessness among veterans using a “housing first” approach that aims to get the homeless into a home before addressing other issues like mental illness, addiction, or job training. In fact, if the country either gave everyone who needed it adequate rental assistance and/or built enough affordable housing to fill the 5.5 million unit shortage, it could effectively [end homelessness once and for all](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/10/09/3577980/end-homelessness/). *(Bryce Covert writes for [ThinkProgress.org](http://ThinkProgress.org) … where this report was first posed.)* -cw CityWatch Vol 12 Issue 91 Pub: Nov 11, 2014 Written by Bryce Covert on December 31 2015. [](https://www.addtoany.com/share) ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Nov-2014/91i.png)NOT ONLY CITY TO CHASE HOMELESS-Last week, the city council of Manteca, CA unanimously [passed two ordinances](http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/1/article/117090/) aimed at clearing out the homeless population. One will ban people from sleeping or setting up encampments on any public or private property as of December 4, although the homeless [won’t be jailed or fined](http://www.news10.net/story/news/local/2014/11/07/manteca-bans-homeless-encampments/15999348/). It will, however, allow the police to tear down any homeless sleeping areas as soon as they appear without having to be invited by the property owner, as was the case previously. Explaining why the ordinance is necessary, Police Chief Nick Obligacion said, “The goal is actually to correct the wrong. So, if the correction is them leaving Manteca, then that’s their choice.” He also opposes any sort of shelter for the homeless. The other ordinance bans public urination and defecation, but also comes after the city temporarily closed public restrooms in a park, a location often used by the homeless to relieve themselves in private. Manteca is only the latest American city to respond to the problem of mass homelessness by criminalizing it. In 187 cities across the country, there has been [an uptick in every kind of ordinance](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/07/16/3460553/homeless-criminalization-report/) aimed at making it illegal to be homeless, such as [banning people from lying down](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/04/21/3428899/fort-lauderdale-criminalize-homelessness/) or having possessions with them as in Fort Lauderdale, FL; prohibiting people from [sitting or lying down on sidewalks](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/06/03/3443963/honolulu-mayor-homeless/), such as in Honolulu, HI; or making it [illegal to sleep in public](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/08/06/2423041/palo-alto-homeless/), such as in Palo Alto, CA. Manteca’s ban on encampments is widespread, as 34 percent of cities have bans on camping in public, a 60 percent increase from 2011. Some have even made it illegal to help the homeless: [13 cities](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/10/22/3583005/fort-lauderdale-feed-homeless/) have restricted where people can give them food, and one 90-year-old man in Fort Lauderdale has been[arrested for doing just that](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/11/06/3589693/ft-lauderdale-arrest-feeding-homeless/). And others look as if they are trying to simply ship the homeless elsewhere, as in Waikiki, HI, where 120 homeless people will be given [one-way plane tickets](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/11/03/3587685/hawaii-homeless-120-tickets/) to the mainland, or San Diego, CA, which considered giving them [one-way bus tickets](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/10/16/3580461/san-diego-homeless-tickets/). --- {module \[862\]} {module \[662\]} --- But cities that have actually ended homelessness take a very different approach. [Phoenix, AZ](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/12/23/3099911/phoenix-homeless/) and [Salt Lake City, UT](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/01/06/3124991/salt-lake-city-homelessness/) have both ended chronic homelessness among veterans using a “housing first” approach that aims to get the homeless into a home before addressing other issues like mental illness, addiction, or job training. In fact, if the country either gave everyone who needed it adequate rental assistance and/or built enough affordable housing to fill the 5.5 million unit shortage, it could effectively [end homelessness once and for all](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/10/09/3577980/end-homelessness/). *(Bryce Covert writes for [ThinkProgress.org](http://ThinkProgress.org) … where this report was first posed.)* -cw CityWatch Vol 12 Issue 91 Pub: Nov 11, 2014 [![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Message [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/bb/062a-bb8ffb47.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33163:4-4-billion-later-inside-the-broken-machinery-of-los-angeles-homelessness-system&catid=312) ### [ $4.4 Billion Later: Inside the Broken Machinery of Los Angeles’ Homelessness System](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33163:4-4-billion-later-inside-the-broken-machinery-of-los-angeles-homelessness-system&catid=312) THE BOTTOM LINE - When Karen Bass became mayor of Los Angeles in December 2022, she declared a state of emergency on ho… [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fd/064h-fdb0b507.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) ### [Remembering Ken Draper: CityWatch and Transparency Are his Legacy](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) LA WATCHDOG - Ken Draper, the editor and publisher of CityWatch for more than 20 years, passed away on August 8, 2022… [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/04/063g-04ad33d5.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33173:netanyahus-challengers-are-selling-the-same-poison&catid=332) ### [Netanyahu’s Challengers Are Selling The Same Poison](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33173:netanyahus-challengers-are-selling-the-same-poison&catid=332) SPEAKING OUT - One would think that after October 7 and the Gaza war that followed, the leaders from the main oppositio… [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/19/062f-19a66144.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33162:prolonged-ignorance-of-a-ticking-bomb-does-not-neutralize-it&catid=9) ### [Prolonged Ignorance Of A Ticking Bomb Does Not Neutralize It](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33162:prolonged-ignorance-of-a-ticking-bomb-does-not-neutralize-it&catid=9) OP/ED - The recent landslide of chemical leaks, fires and extremely dangerous events have proven, without any doubt, th… --- ## [ ARCHIVE ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/034e.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16) ### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18755:tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people&catid=16) ### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17690:anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete&catid=16) [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/033j.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16) [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Jan-2016/1404d.png) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)