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

120 defines "encampment" as one or more camp facilities or camping paraphernalia used, occupied or stored on public property, excluding items left for less than 12 hours of daytime-only use such as a picnic blanket or a nap in a park. "Camp facilities" cover tents, huts, temporary shelters and vehicles, trailers, campers or RVs used for shelter; "camp paraphernalia" covers bedrolls, tarpaulins, cots, sleeping bags, hammocks and cooking gear. 040 makes it unlawful and a public nuisance to camp on public property or to maintain an encampment there, covering county buildings, streets, sidewalks, alleys, medians, parks, waterways, canal banks and county highways.

050 separately bars camping on private property, but exempts a landowner or a guest with the owner's written consent for up to 72 consecutive hours, no more than three times a calendar year, and campers lawfully using a county-approved campground or trailer park. 060, the County can abate camp facilities, paraphernalia or an encampment after 48 hours' written notice; that notice period drops when the site poses an imminent threat, such as fire or flood risk, blocked emergency access, or when the encampment sits within 1,000 feet of a location providing shelter to homeless individuals.

Abatement can include removing garbage, hazardous or infectious waste and debris and fencing off the site; any personal property left behind, such as identification, medications, eyeglasses or usable bicycles, must be stored for at least 90 days with retrieval notice given. 070 makes it a misdemeanor to willfully obstruct a County official, contractor or volunteer carrying out an abatement. The Sheriff's Office enforces the chapter countywide, and the Sacramento County Regional Park Rangers enforce it on County Regional Parks, including the American River Parkway.