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Placer County, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Removal notice required
48 hours advance written notice
Cleanup authority basis
sanitation and health standards, § 12.26.070(B)
Seized property storage minimum
90 days
Health-risk items
may be discarded immediately
Ordinance adopted
Ord. 6132-B, 2022

Summary

Placer County authorizes its enforcement official to 'clean and clear' camp facilities on county property as needed for sanitation and health standards under County Code § 12.26.070(B), following a 48-hour written notice, with seized personal property stored a minimum of 90 days unless it poses a health risk.

City-specific rules exist: Roseville has its own encampment sanitation rules that differ from Placer County's county-level regulations. If you live in Roseville, check the city-specific page instead.

B. Clean and Clear. The enforcement official is authorized to clean and clear any camp facilities on county public property at any interval deemed necessary to ensure proper sanitation and health standards are maintained. Clean and clear activities shall be noticed as outlined in subsection A above.

Full Breakdown

050 when no available shelter exists, subject to limits such as no obstructing building entrances or rights-of-way within 50 feet of an entrance, exit, driveway or loading dock. 070(A) requires the enforcement official to serve written notice at least 48 hours in advance, both personally on present occupants and posted on or near the camp, stating the location, the violation, the removal timeline, available shelter and services information, and where seized property can be retrieved without a retrieval fee. Subsection (B), the Clean and Clear provision, separately authorizes the enforcement official to clean and clear camp facilities on county property at whatever interval is necessary to maintain proper sanitation and health standards, using the same notice procedure.

090 governs seized property: an occupant present during removal keeps their belongings except items posing an immediate health or safety threat or evidence of a crime; anything seized is stored at least 90 days, except items soiled by bodily fluids, moldy, infested, or perishable, which may be discarded immediately, along with open alcohol containers. 40) against anyone camping under this article, including those camping by necessity.

Violations & Fines

Section 12.26.110 makes violations of Article 12.26 subject to County Code § 1.24.010, the county's general penalty: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in county jail, or both, or an infraction with a capped fine, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. Personal property not retrieved within the 90-day storage period under § 12.26.090 is deemed abandoned and the county may dispose of it without further notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What legal authority lets Placer County clean out an encampment?
Section 12.26.070(B), the Clean and Clear provision, authorizes the enforcement official to clean and clear camp facilities on county public property at any interval necessary to maintain proper sanitation and health standards, using the article's 48-hour notice process.
How much notice must the county give before removing a camp?
Section 12.26.070(A) requires written notice at least 48 hours before removal, served personally on present occupants and posted at the site, including where seized property can be retrieved at no charge.
How long does the county store seized belongings?
Section 12.26.090 requires seized personal property be stored for at least 90 days before it can be treated as abandoned and disposed of, except items that pose a health risk, such as items soiled by bodily fluids or infested with insects, which can be discarded right away.
Do sanitation and littering rules still apply to camping by necessity?
Yes. Section 12.26.100(B) keeps the county's littering ordinance, public alcohol rules, fire prevention article, and public urination/defecation prohibition fully enforceable against anyone camping under Article 12.26, including camping by necessity.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Placer County

All Placer County rules

California rules heatmap·Compare Placer County to another location·View the California homelessness & encampment rules overview

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