Fontana, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- Sec. 16-154(a), (c)(1); 16-155; 16-157; 16-159
- Camping ban
- Public property citywide, plus unpermitted private
- Sanitation trigger
- Unsanitary camping voids exceptions, Sec. 16-154(c)(1)
- Abandonment
- Unattended property >1 hr on public land, Sec. 16-153
- Notice
- 1 hour to remove attended items, Sec. 16-157(c)
- Holding period
- 60 days before disposal, Sec. 16-159
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000/6 mo., Sec. 16-164
Summary
Camping on Fontana public property, streets, sidewalks, or parks is banned as a public nuisance, and camping that creates unsanitary conditions loses even the narrow exceptions the ordinance allows. Personal property left unattended more than an hour is deemed abandoned and can be impounded and held 60 days.
(a)It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to camp; establish, maintain, allow, operate, or occupy camp facilities; or use camp paraphernalia, in the following areas:(1)On any public property unless expressly permitted by the city;(2)Any public or private street or right-of-way, including sidewalks, bus stops, and public landscaping;(3)Any parking lot, yard, building setback, vacant land, open space, park, or any other area open to, accessible to, or controlled by the public, improved or unimproved;...(c)The exceptions contained in subsection (b) do not apply where camping:(1)Is conducted in such a manner as to create inadequate sanitation or any other public nuisance;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 17).
Full Breakdown
Fontana Municipal Code Sec. 16-154(a) makes it unlawful and a public nuisance to camp, establish or maintain camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia on public property without express city permission, on streets, sidewalks, or rights-of-way, in parking lots, parks, or open space accessible to the public, near structures not meant for habitation, in or near a parked vehicle, or on private property without the owner's consent. " Sec. 16-155(a) separately bans storing personal property on public property, rights-of-way, or open areas accessible to the public, and Sec.
16-153 defines property left unattended on public property for more than one hour as abandoned. Under Sec. 16-157, attended property gets one hour's notice to be removed before the city may impound it, while property that's abandoned, a threat to health or safety, perishable, contraband, or evidence can be removed without notice. Impounded items are held at least 60 days under Sec. 16-159 so the owner can reclaim them with proof of ownership, after paying reasonable impoundment and storage costs unless a hardship waiver is approved. All of Article VII was rewritten by Ord. No. 1968 in May 2025.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 16-164(a) declares any violation of the camping article unlawful, a public nuisance, and a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.00 and imprisonment of up to six months, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate, separately punishable offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is camping on Fontana streets or sidewalks always illegal?
Can the city remove belongings from an encampment without warning?
How long does Fontana hold impounded encampment property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fontana
California rules heatmap·Compare Fontana to another location·View the California homelessness & encampment rules overview
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