Simi Valley, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Public camping
- Banned outside designated or permitted areas
- Private-yard camping
- Max 3 consecutive days, written owner permission
- Sanitation
- Toilet required within 100 feet of campsite
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor under Section 6-5.01(f)
- Exemption
- Construction-site security camping allowed
Summary
Simi Valley bans camping in any public park, street, or public place unless the area is specifically designated or permitted, and restricts camping on private property within 2,000 feet of improved land under Municipal Code Section 6-5.01. Where limited residential-yard camping is allowed, the code requires a sanitary toilet within 100 feet of the campsite and caps it at three consecutive days.
No person shall establish or occupy a camp in any public park, public street, or public place within the City except in areas specifically designated for such use, or specifically authorized by a permit issued by the appropriate public agency having jurisdiction over the property. No person shall establish or occupy a camp on private property located within 2,000 feet of other improved land or an improved road, except for camping in the yard of a residence with the written permission of the owner or occupant... (4)Sanitary toilet facilities shall be available within 100 feet of any campsite... (f)Penalties. Any person violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
01(a) makes it unlawful to establish or occupy a camp in any public park, public street, or public place except in areas the city specifically designates, or under a permit from the agency with jurisdiction over the property. On private property within 2,000 feet of other improved land or an improved road, camping is likewise barred except for camping in a residence's yard with the owner's written permission, or camping tied to an organized community youth group activity. Even permitted yard camping must sit in the rear yard or a side yard screened from street view, cannot exceed three consecutive days or otherwise amount to a regular land use, cannot involve any fee for the privilege, and must have sanitary toilet facilities within 100 feet of the campsite under subsection (a)(4).
Anyone with written permission must carry it while on the property and produce it on request from a code enforcement or peace officer; without it, the camp is declared unlawful and must be vacated when so ordered. The section exempts a person temporarily staying at a construction or grading site to guard equipment. 01 is a misdemeanor under subsection (f).
Violations & Fines
Occupying an unpermitted camp in a public park, street, or place, or camping on private property without the owner's written permission, beyond the three-day yard-camping limit, or without the required 100-foot sanitary toilet, is a misdemeanor under Section 6-5.01(f). A code enforcement officer or peace officer can order an unlawful camp vacated on the spot, and the burden of proving written permission exists falls on the person occupying the camp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is camping allowed in Simi Valley parks or on public streets?
Can someone camp in my backyard with my permission?
What must someone carry if they have permission to camp on private property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Simi Valley
California rules heatmap·Compare Simi Valley to another location·View the California homelessness & encampment rules overview
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Encampment Sanitation in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle encampment sanitation.