The Coast News Group
Oceanside has joined other North County cities in revising its public encampment laws. File photo/Samantha Nelson
Oceanside has joined other North County cities in revising its public encampment laws. File photo/Samantha Nelson
CitiesNewsOceansideRegion

Oceanside updates rules against public encampments

OCEANSIDE — Following the Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold cities’ right to enforce homeless camping bans, Oceanside has joined other North County cities in revising its public encampment laws.

The City Council voted 4-1 on Oct. 9 to adopt changes that no longer require police officers to offer shelter to unhoused individuals before citing them for camping on public property.

Although offering shelter is no longer a requirement, city staff emphasized that officers are still encouraged to show compassion, considering factors like available shelter beds, health and safety, weather conditions, and the impact on the surrounding community.

The new ordinance also reduces the notice period for property removal at larger encampments from 48 to 24 hours, aligning with similar policies enacted by cities like Encinitas, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido after the Supreme Court’s decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson. This ruling allows cities to enforce encampment bans regardless of available shelter beds.

“These amendments will be an important tool to increase safety and address quality of life issues,” said Police Capt. Scott Garrett. “It helps restore balance for the police department’s ability to respond to calls about public encampments.”

Sheila Duncan, whose family owns Copperwood Barber Shop on Mission Avenue, supported the changes and expressed her concerns about frequent disturbances caused by unhoused individuals.

“It’s very nerve-wracking,” Duncan said. “Customers have said they’re afraid to come in.”

However, not everyone was in favor of the new rules. Many opponents argued that the revised laws would criminalize homelessness.

Rev. Brian Petersen of St. Brigid’s Episcopal Church cautioned that the changes would harm both the homeless and the broader community.

“It puts the most vulnerable people into a precarious position that they have to dig their way out of,” Petersen said. “This doesn’t create balance.”

Garrett countered concerns about potential arrests, clarifying that enforcement would likely result in citations, not immediate jail time.

“The bottom line is that enforcement does not mean they’re going to jail,” he said, adding that citations could be used to leverage compliance and even help individuals access treatment or services through court programs.

Councilmember Eric Joyce, the sole dissenting vote, expressed reservations about the changes, calling for a more comprehensive approach that addresses homelessness without criminalizing it.

“We need a broader plan,” Joyce said, advocating for further revisions to the ordinance.

Although Mayor Esther Sanchez initially supported Joyce’s motion to revisit the proposal, she ultimately voted in favor of the amendments, with the condition that the city hosts a public workshop on homelessness to address community concerns.

The council’s decision comes amid heightened tensions following a series of violent attacks on homeless individuals in the city. In the past month, two unhoused people have been found dead, and another was severely injured in separate incidents.

On Sept. 18, police responded to a stabbing near Coast Highway 101 and the San Luis Rey River. The victim survived. A man was found dead from blunt force trauma on Oct. 5 near the railroad tracks on Oceanside Boulevard.

The following day, another man was found dead from similar injuries in the San Luis Rey River area.

The Oceanside Police Department has increased patrols in areas where homeless people gather and has directed its Homeless Outreach Team to warn people of the attacks and offer resources. The police have urged unhoused individuals to remain vigilant, avoid sleeping alone, and seek shelter if possible.

Joyce expressed concern that the new encampment rules could push homeless individuals further into isolated areas, where they may be at greater risk.

“We need to think about the safety of everyone, including those living on the streets,” he said.

Leave a Comment