Porterville, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)

Porterville Municipal Code chapter 18, article VII (sections 18-76 through 18-84, adopted by Ordinance 1905 and amended by Ordinance 1914) sets sanitation and cleanup rules for unauthorized camping on public property. Section 18-78(C) lists manner restrictions: camps are capped at 12 feet by 12 feet, or 144 square feet; each camp must sit at least 150 feet from any other camp absent explicit city authorization; campers may not accumulate, discard or leave behind garbage, debris, or unsanitary or hazardous materials on rights-of-way, city property or adjacent property; and dumping greywater or hazardous water into streets, waterways or storm drains is prohibited.

Section 18-79 governs cleanup: enforcement personnel must first attempt voluntary compliance and a referral to service providers, then post a written 24-hour notice at the campsite (and try to hand it to occupants) stating the location, posting date, the violation, the removal deadline, available shelter and transportation resources, and where impounded property will be stored, before removing a noncompliant camp; the notice period can be shortened for hazardous contamination or immediate danger to life, or skipped entirely for probable-cause illegal activity or an exceptional emergency.

Removed personal property with apparent value is stored for a minimum of 60 days at no charge, split between a general storage facility and the police department for items worth $1,000 or more, while perishable, unidentifiable or bodily-fluid-contaminated items are discarded as garbage.