Fullerton, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- FMC § 7.105.020, Camping Unlawful
- Banned locations
- Parks, rights-of-way, critical infrastructure, public facilities
- Camp definition
- Sleeping, bedding, storage, fire, tents, cooking
- Intent standard
- Reasonable appearance, not stated intent
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under § 7.105.030
- Recent amendments
- Ord. 3328 (2024), Ord. 3338 (2025)
Summary
Fullerton makes it unlawful to camp in any public park, public right-of-way, critical infrastructure area or public facility, defining camping broadly to cover sleeping, storing belongings, cooking or pitching a tent for living purposes, with violations charged as a misdemeanor.
(A) It is unlawful for any person to camp in the following areas except as otherwise provided: (1) Any public park; (2) Any public right-of-way as defined in § 7.36.010; (3) Critical infrastructure as defined in Chapter 7.108; (4) Public facilities as defined in § 7.36.010. (B) For the purpose of this chapter, CAMP means the use of an area for living accommodation purposes such as sleeping activities, preparations to sleep (including laying down bedding for the purpose of sleeping), storing personal belongings, making any fire, using any tents or other structure for sleeping, doing any digging or earth-breaking or carrying on cooking activities.
Full Breakdown
010. The ordinance defines CAMP expansively as using an area for living accommodation purposes, including sleeping activities, preparing to sleep such as laying down bedding, storing personal belongings, making any fire, using tents or other structures for sleeping, digging or earth-breaking, or cooking. Critically, the code states these activities constitute camping whenever it reasonably appears from the circumstances that the person is using the area as a living accommodation, regardless of the camper's actual intent or any other activity underway at the same time. That broad, appearance-based test lets enforcement reach improvised setups even absent an admission of intent to live there. 108's critical infrastructure protections adopted the same year. 200.
Violations & Fines
Section 7.105.030 makes any violation of Chapter 7.105, including the camping ban in Section 7.105.020, a misdemeanor. Separately, interfering with a city official, employee, contractor or volunteer carrying out a critical-infrastructure abatement under Chapter 7.108 is itself a violation under Section 7.108.050, and Section 7.108.060 exposes violators of that chapter to criminal sanctions, civil actions, administrative penalties under Chapter 1.10, and civil penalties under Chapter 1.08, with the city council having declared such violations a public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Fullerton's camping ban require proving someone intended to live there?
Is camping banned everywhere in Fullerton or just certain places?
What happens if someone blocks the city from clearing an encampment near infrastructure?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fullerton
California rules heatmap·Compare Fullerton to another location·View the California homelessness & encampment rules overview
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Encampment Sanitation in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle encampment sanitation.