Newport Beach, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)

010 of the Newport Beach Municipal Code prohibits fixing in place, storing, maintaining or leaving unattended personal property on public property, and bars setting up a tent anywhere on public property. No one may sleep, lay down or lodge in a public restroom, or sleep or lay down on a public bench or bike rack. Sitting on a movable chair, bucket, crate or cooler, or sleeping or lying down, is prohibited on any public plaza or right-of-way unless part of a lawful permitted event. , though simply walking through without stopping is not a violation.

Subsection H creates specific buffer distances: no sitting, lying, sleeping or storing property within 20 feet of a driveway, ramp, loading dock or fire hydrant; within 20 feet of a restroom, park or trail entrance; within 50 feet of an operating business entrance; within 10 feet of an ATM, EV charging station, parking meter or sidewalk ramp; or within 500 feet of a college, school, day care center or cancer treatment center. Conduct that obstructs ADA passage or unreasonably interferes with vehicle, pedestrian or bicycle traffic is separately banned.

The chapter's definitions treat returning stored property to a spot within 1,000 feet of a prior citation site within 30 days as continued storage rather than removal, closing a loophole for repeat violators. 012, separately restricts standing or walking on non-raised or improved medians. The ordinance traces to Ordinance 2023-11 and was amended by Ordinance 2024-19 in 2024.