Unincorporated Los Angeles County applies Title 13.36 anti-lodging and anti-encampment rules instead of the Los Angeles City LAMC 41.18 ordinance, with the Sheriff's Department handling enforcement subject to Martin v. Boise constraints.
LAMC 41.18 is a Los Angeles City ordinance and does not apply in unincorporated Los Angeles County. The county equivalent lives in Title 13 of the County Code, which prohibits unauthorized lodging and obstruction of public rights-of-way in unincorporated communities such as East LA, Florence-Graham, Willowbrook, Marina del Rey, and Topanga. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department enforces. Following Martin v. Boise and Johnson v. Grants Pass, deputies generally cannot cite or arrest people for sleeping outdoors when no shelter bed is available. The Department of Health Services Housing for Health unit conducts outreach before any cleanup. Incorporated cities apply their own anti-camping rules, including LAMC 41.18 in the City of Los Angeles.
Lodging on county sidewalks, parks, or rights-of-way after a written warning and verified shelter offer can lead to misdemeanor citation, removal, and storage of property under Title 13.36 and Lavan settlement protocols.
See how Palmdale's lamc §41.18 encampment rule rules stack up against other locations.
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