San Bernardino County, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- County Code § 28.0903
- Applies to
- Unincorporated county only
- Prohibited acts
- Sitting, lying, sleeping, storing property
- Property removal
- Immediate, by Enforcement Officers
- Adopted
- Ordinance 4494 (2025)
Summary
County Code Section 28.0903 bars sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing personal property on unincorporated San Bernardino County streets, sidewalks, alleyways, trails, and county highways, with blocking property subject to immediate removal by Enforcement Officers.
No individual shall obstruct a street, sidewalk, alleyway, trail, county highway (as defined in § 25, 960.5 and 1480 of the Cal. Streets and Highways Code, or as amended), entrance to public facilities, driveway, or other public right of way by sitting, lying or sleeping, or using or storing personal property in, or upon any street, sidewalk, alleyway, trail, or county highway.
(b) Immediate Removal: Personal property in violation of this Section shall be subject to immediate removal by Enforcement Officers. (Ord. 4494, passed - -2025)
Full Breakdown
Chapter 28.09 of the County Code makes it unlawful to obstruct a street, sidewalk, alleyway, trail, county highway, entrance to a public facility, driveway, or other public right of way by sitting, lying, or sleeping there, or by using or storing personal property on it. The rule covers only the unincorporated area of the county: the 24 incorporated cities (San Bernardino, Fontana, Victorville, etc.) enforce their own municipal codes. Personal property placed in violation is subject to immediate removal by County Enforcement Officers under subsection (b), separate from the broader encampment-abatement notice process in the adjoining Section 28.0904. The section was adopted by Ordinance 4494 in 2025 as part of the county's public-camping and right-of-way chapter.
Violations & Fines
Obstructing a right of way by sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing property is a code violation; blocking personal property can be removed immediately by Enforcement Officers under Section 28.0903(b), no advance notice required for the property itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply inside San Bernardino city or other cities?
Can the county take my belongings without warning?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino County to another location·View the California homelessness & encampment rules overview
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