LA County Code Title 13.36 restricts sitting or lying on unincorporated public sidewalks during specified hours, but Martin v. Boise and Jones v. City of Los Angeles bar enforcement when adequate shelter beds are unavailable.
Title 13.36 of the LA County Code makes it unlawful to sit, lie, or sleep on public sidewalks or rights-of-way in unincorporated communities during designated hours, typically 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in commercial corridors. The Ninth Circuit in Jones v. City of Los Angeles (2006) held that criminalizing involuntary sitting or lying when shelter is full violates the Eighth Amendment, and Martin v. Boise (2018) and Johnson v. Grants Pass (2024) refined the doctrine. The Sheriff's Department therefore must verify shelter availability through the LA-HOP referral system before issuing a citation. Disability accommodations under the ADA are required. Incorporated cities such as Santa Monica and Long Beach maintain their own sit-lie ordinances.
Sitting or lying on unincorporated commercial sidewalks during restricted hours after a verified shelter offer can result in an infraction citation up to 250 dollars and removal under Title 13.36, subject to constitutional limits.
See how Santa Monica's sit-lie rules rules stack up against other locations.
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