After leadership from several other Southern California cities, Hermosa Beach City Council voted Tuesday to adopt an anti-nutrition policy for all public areas to make the city “safe and sanitary environment for all.”
The new policy repeals the previous code, which only camps on parks and beaches. To address the homeless crisis, cities across Southern California recently adopted a policy of banning camping in all public areas, after a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowed cities to more power to regulate homeless camps.
Since the decision, similar rules have been adopted in Long Beach, Indiana, Palm Springs and other Southern California cities.
According to the city, the new Hermosa Beach ordinance will work with a plan implemented by the city to help anyone experiencing homelessness find shelter instead of sleeping in the beach or park.
Violations of the new policy will result in the first violation of no more than $100, the second violation will be $200, and the further violation will be $500.
Advocates of homelessness say such policies consume the city’s resources, and fines against camping on the streets will only make housing more difficult for homeless people.
“The country does not have enough resources to serve everyone experiencing homelessness,” National Alliance CEO Ann Oliva, who ended homelessness, told NPR last year.
In most of Los Angeles County, the population of drone homeless people is expected to continue to decline for the second consecutive year, according to a recent report by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Agency. The agency expects the agency to reduce its revenue by 5% to 10% when the full statistical analysis is completed in the coming months.
“The ultimate final ordinance not only prohibits camping in all public places, but there are more enforcement options to ensure Hermosa Beach remains a safe and sanitary environment for everyone,” said Hermosa Beach Mayor Dean Francois.
Under the new law, city managers can dismiss the citation of offenders completing their transfer plans.
