Homelessness & Encampment Rules in California (2026)

LAMC § 41.18 prohibits sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing personal property in the public right-of-way in specific…

Carson Municipal Code § 4206 makes it unlawful to lie or sleep on any sidewalk, street, or other public place in the…

Fullerton has banned standing, sitting or lying on any sidewalk, or in the entrance to a public-assembly building…

Inglewood Municipal Code Sec. 3-36 makes it unlawful for any person to lie or sleep on any street, sidewalk, or public…

Oakland Municipal Code § 9.08.160 makes it unlawful to sit, lie or sleep on any public highway, alley, sidewalk…

Rancho Cucamonga bars sitting, lying or sleeping on public property, or storing personal property there, within set…

County Code § 7.20.030 bans sitting, lying, or sleeping on sidewalks and other public ways in the Avila Beach and…

Turlock's sit-lie ordinance bars sitting, lying, sleeping or camping on any public place at any time, including…

Vacaville's code flatly prohibits any pedestrian from sitting, lying or sleeping on a street, sidewalk or public way…

Westminster bars sleeping, lying down or sitting on the ground in any public right-of-way under Municipal Code Section…

Anaheim bars sitting, lying, sleeping or storing personal property in the public right-of-way within ten feet of…

Apple Valley Municipal Code § 11.20.040 makes it unlawful to sit, lie or sleep on any highway, alley, sidewalk…

Berkeley bars lying on commercial sidewalks and caps stationary dogs at two per ten-foot stretch, seven days a week…

Sitting, lying or sleeping on any public highway, alley, sidewalk or crosswalk in unincorporated Butte County is…

Camarillo bans sitting or lying on sidewalks, curbs, doorways and shared public benches in its commercial zones, and…

Carlsbad bans sitting, lying, sleeping or stacking belongings on a sidewalk, street, curb, crosswalk or park in a way…

Chico bans sitting or lying on sidewalks in commercial areas from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with exceptions for disability…

Chula Vista bans sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing personal property on streets, sidewalks, or other public property…

Corona bars loitering, standing, sitting, lying, kneeling or sleeping on sidewalks, streets, plazas, parks and other…

Downey Municipal Code Section 4119 bars sitting, sleeping, or lying, or storing personal property, on sidewalks and…

After a law enforcement warning, Eastvale bars sitting or lying on a public sidewalk, curb, or anything placed on one…

El Dorado County bars sleeping on public property outright, with narrow exceptions for young children, permitted…

Fairfield bans sitting or lying in a posted building entrance in Downtown Fairfield between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The rule…

Hanford bans sitting, lying down, or sleeping on public property citywide, including sidewalks, except that sitting is…

Hawthorne prohibits sitting, lying or sleeping on any street, sidewalk or public way in the city, with a single…

Hemet bars sitting, lying, or storing property on sidewalks that narrows passage below 48 inches, near driveways and…

After a warning from a law enforcement officer, or wherever a posted sign says so, no one may loiter, stand, sit, or…

Kern County Code Section 8.30.040 bars sitting, lying, sleeping or camping with the intent to camp on public sidewalks…

Lancaster bars sitting, lying down on, or otherwise obstructing a public sidewalk, street, curb, staircase or building…

Long Beach bans camping on any public property, including sidewalks and other rights-of-way, between 10 p.m. and 5…

LAMC § 41.18 bans sitting, lying, or sleeping in the public right-of-way near driveways, building entrances, fire…

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-7.1502.1 bars sitting, lying down or substantially blocking pedestrian passage on…

Moreno Valley makes it unlawful to sit, lie, or sleep on any street, sidewalk, or other public way under Section…

In unincorporated Napa County it is unlawful to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia in designated…

Newport Beach bans sitting, lying, sleeping or storing personal property in public rights-of-way and plazas under…

Oceanside bars sitting or lying on a public sidewalk, or on a blanket, chair or other object placed on one, in a way…

Ontario Municipal Code Sec. 4-6.903 bars sitting or lying on a public sidewalk, curb, gutter, parkway, street or public…

Pasadena bans sitting or standing on a street, alley, sidewalk or crosswalk in a way that hinders passage, and…

Rancho Cordova makes it unlawful to loiter in a way that blocks sidewalks or streets: Municipal Code Section…

Redding bans sitting on a commercial sidewalk, or on anything set on one, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. citywide in zones…

Rohnert Park bars camping, sitting, lying or sleeping, or storing personal property, in ways that block sidewalk…

Sacramento City Code § 12.24.020 bars anyone from obstructing a public sidewalk after the city manager orders them to…

Salinas Municipal Code Sec. 16-140.060 makes it a misdemeanor to walk, stand, sit, or lie on monuments, fire hydrants…

County Code Section 28.0903 bars sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing personal property on unincorporated San…

Sitting or lying on a public sidewalk citywide between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. is illegal, with limited exceptions for…

San Jose bans sitting or lying on public sidewalks within the downtown pedestrian facilitation zone from 8 a.m. to…

SLMC §§ 6-3-200 to 6-3-220 bar sitting or lying on a public sidewalk in a commercial or retail zone between 7 a.m. and…

San Rafael's municipal code broadly bans placing, keeping or maintaining any obstruction on a public sidewalk under…

Santa Ana bans sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing property on public property within set buffer zones: 20 feet of…

Santa Clarita bars sitting or lying on public sidewalks, curbs, doorways, and shared benches in commercial zones under…

Simi Valley Municipal Code Section 5-44.02 bars leaving any unattended item, including bedding, carts, or belongings…

The City of Sonoma bars sitting or lying on any street, sidewalk, or public way when it unreasonably blocks other…

Temecula Municipal Code Section 9.70.060 bans walking, standing, sitting or lying on public fixtures like monuments…

Victorville bans sitting, lying, or sleeping on any highway, alley, sidewalk, or crosswalk citywide under Municipal…

West Covina bars sitting, lying or sleeping on any public street, sidewalk, alley or crosswalk. The rule carves out…

Unincorporated Yuba County bans camping in any county right-of-way, including sidewalks and roadway shoulders, that…

In the City of Bellflower, Los Angeles County, it is unlawful to be present on restricted public property, including…

Clovis bars standing or sitting idly on a street or sidewalk in a way that hinders passersby, and bars blocking the…

El Monte's public-peace code makes it unlawful to stand, sit or otherwise occupy a street or highway center median for…

Escondido bans sitting, lying, kneeling, or otherwise blocking any public sidewalk, walkway, or public place, and bars…

Fontana's pedestrian interference ordinance makes it unlawful to walk, stand, sit, lie, or place an object in a public…

Merced bars sitting or lying on a public sidewalk, curb, or an object placed on one, in any commercially zoned…

Mission Viejo bans loitering, standing, or sitting on a public highway, alley, sidewalk, or crosswalk in a way that…

Oxnard bars sitting or lying down on a public street, sidewalk or crosswalk in a way that hinders pedestrian passage or…

On any City-owned or operated fishing pier, including the Pacifica Pier, Municipal Code § 4-9.02(n) bars loitering…

Redondo Beach bars standing, sitting or lying in a bus stop site, including shelters, depots and designated seating…

RMC § 9.04.400 bars sitting, lying, or otherwise obstructing movement on a Riverside public sidewalk or public way, but…

Santa Clara makes it unlawful to loiter, stand or sit on a public street, sidewalk or crosswalk in a way that blocks or…

In Santa Monica's Downtown, Main Street corridor, and portions of Montana Avenue, sitting or lying on public sidewalks…

Santa Rosa Code Section 10-12.030 makes it unlawful to sit or lie on a street, sidewalk or other public way if doing so…

Unincorporated Sonoma County bars sitting, standing or lying on a sidewalk in a way that blocks foot traffic, but only…

Stockton doesn't ban sitting or lying on sidewalks outright. Instead, Section 9.64.150 makes it a misdemeanor for…

Tehama County bars sitting, lying, sleeping, or loitering on a walkway connected to a county facility only when it…

Thousand Oaks restricts sitting, lying down, or sleeping in public places, like sidewalks, streets, and doorways, when…

San Buenaventura Municipal Code § 10.200.030 bars sitting or lying on public sidewalks, curbs, bike-walk paths, and…

Sitting, sleeping, lying down, or camping on public sidewalks in Visalia's commercial and downtown zones is prohibited…

Alameda Municipal Code Section 23-7.2 makes it unlawful to camp, pitch a tent or use camp paraphernalia in any city…

Anaheim bans camping in any public area, including streets, parks, sidewalks and parking lots, without written…

Antioch Municipal Code § 10-2.12 makes it unlawful to camp or lodge in a tent, vehicle or on the ground anywhere in a…

Apple Valley Municipal Code § 11.20.045 bars camping, sleeping outdoors or in a vehicle, and overnight RV parking in…

Bakersfield outlaws camping and sleeping outdoors on any public property citywide: parks, sidewalks, city parking lots…

Baldwin Park makes it unlawful to camp, use camp facilities, or store personal property including tents and sleeping…

Buena Park bans camping, storing personal property, and sleeping in vehicles on any public street, parking lot, or…

Camping is flatly prohibited in Bidwell River Park, the county-controlled Sacramento River and Chico Creek parkland in…

Camarillo bans camping, sleeping, and storing unattended belongings including tents and camp paraphernalia on any…

Carson prohibits camping in any public park, street, alley, right-of-way, or public parking lot or area, whether…

Chino Hills bars anyone from pitching a hut, tent, tarpaulin or other temporary structure anywhere in the city's open…

Compton makes it unlawful to camp, sleep, or store personal property on any public street, sidewalk, park, or…

Corona bans sleeping, pitching a tent, or storing personal property on any public property citywide. Section 9.26.010…

Costa Mesa bans camping on any street, alley, public parking lot, public area or park under section 11-304, and…

Davis Municipal Code Article 26.11 makes it "unlawful and a public nuisance" to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use…

Downey Municipal Code §4106 makes camping or maintaining an encampment on any public property a misdemeanor and a…

El Cajon bans camping or lodging on any property the city maintains or operates under Municipal Code Section 9.36.020…

El Dorado County bans camping on public property unless authorized by County ordinance, an emergency declaration from…

Elk Grove bans sleeping on public sidewalks, streets, and alleyways at any time, and bans setting up a campsite on any…

Escondido bars camping or maintaining an encampment on any public property, including streets, sidewalks, parks, open…

Fairfield bans camping and storing personal property on any public property citywide, and on private property without…

Folsom bans camping anywhere in the city, public or private property, under Municipal Code Section 9.100.030, and…

Fremont Municipal Code 8.90.030 bans camping or maintaining an encampment on any public property, including streets…

Fresno bans camping on any public property and on private property, with narrow exceptions, under FMC Sec. 10-1702…

Fresno County bars camping on public property outside designated campgrounds under a 2024 ordinance, and gives the…

Fullerton makes it unlawful to camp in any public park, public right-of-way, critical infrastructure area or public…

Garden Grove bans camping and sleeping on streets, sidewalks, parks, and other public property citywide under Municipal…

Glendale bans camping, sleeping, and storing personal property on any public street, sidewalk, or park under Municipal…

Camping, tents, and camping gear are banned on all Hanford public property except at city-sponsored events, with a set…

Hayward bans camping and storing personal property on all city-owned land, including sidewalks, rights-of-way, parking…

Hercules bans camping outright on public property citywide, declaring it a public nuisance and a trespass under state…

Lancaster bans camping, lodging or sleeping on public streets, city-owned property, parks and other listed public…

Livermore bans camping and storing camp paraphernalia on any public property, including streets, sidewalks, parks and…

Lodi bans camping and encampments on all public property, including streets, sidewalks, parks and city lots, under…

Unincorporated Los Angeles County bans camping on any accepted county road or highway under Los Angeles County Code §…

Los Banos bans unauthorized camping and encampments on public property under Ordinance 1205, adopted November 2024…

Madera Municipal Code § 4-14.02 makes it unlawful, and a public nuisance, to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp…

Marin County bans all overnight camping on Bolinas Beach to stop the trespassing, litter, fire hazard and sanitation…

Merced bans public camping and storing personal property in parks, streets, sidewalks, and public lots, and within…

Merced County Code Section 10.32.035 makes it a misdemeanor to camp, occupy camp facilities, or store personal…

Camping, storing personal property, or sleeping in a vehicle on any Mission Viejo public park, street, sidewalk, or…

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-12.703 makes it unlawful and a public nuisance to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use…

Monterey County outright bars overnight camping on public property and roads: Monterey County Code § 14.18.020 makes it…

Moorpark bans camping, camp facilities, and storing personal property in any city park, open space, or Civic Center…

Newport Beach bans camping in any prohibited public place under Municipal Code Section 10.14.020, using a detailed…

Norwalk makes it unlawful to camp, occupy camp facilities or use camp paraphernalia on any street, public parking lot…

Ontario bans camping and storing personal property on public property, streets, sidewalks, parks, and any parked…

Orange bans camping and encampments on all public streets and public property citywide, except in locations the City…

Oxnard makes it unlawful to camp or occupy camp facilities in any public area without a city-issued permit, and it is…

In the City of Pacifica, camping in any park, mini-park, beach or recreation facility is prohibited at all times under…

Perris bans unpermitted camping on city property and property with sensitive uses, and sets a formal assessment…

Pleasanton prohibits camping or lodging in a tent or on the ground anywhere in a city park or recreation facility…

Pomona outright bans camping, storing personal property, and sleeping in vehicles on any public park, street, sidewalk…

RCMC § 9.85.030 bans camping anywhere in Rancho Cordova, public or private, except in city-designated camping areas or…

Rancho Cucamonga bans camping in any "prohibited public place," meaning public property the city council hasn't…

Redondo Beach makes it unlawful to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia in any park, right-of-way…

RMC § 9.11.030 makes it unlawful and a public nuisance to camp, maintain an encampment, or place bulky items on any…

Roseville bars camping or squatting on any city-owned public property, from streets and parks to creekbeds and parking…

Sacramento County outlaws camping and encampments on public property throughout the unincorporated area under the…

Salinas Municipal Code Sec. 16-140.030 makes it an unlawful public nuisance, punishable as a misdemeanor, to camp…

Unincorporated San Benito County bans camping, sleeping, or sheltering on public property within the San Benito River…

Camping, sleeping, or storing personal property on county-owned public property is banned outside designated…

San Diego bans camping or maintaining an encampment on any public property -- streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches, open…

Unincorporated San Diego County bans camping and encampments on County parks, streets, highways and County-owned…

Camping on any county road or county-controlled property is banned countywide, with violators facing misdemeanor…

San Marcos bans camping or building an encampment on any city-owned property at any time under Municipal Code Chapter…

San Ramon bans camping or maintaining an encampment on any public property, including streets, sidewalks, parks, open…

Santa Ana Municipal Code Article VIII bans camping, occupying camp facilities, or storing personal property, tents…

Santa Clara Code Chapter 12.50 makes it unlawful to camp or lodge, including sleeping in a parked vehicle, on any…

Santa Clarita bans camping and storing personal property in any park or public place under Municipal Code Section…

Camping or storing personal property, tents, sleeping bags or cooking gear on any Santa Maria street, sidewalk, parking…

Simi Valley bans camping in any public park, street, or public place unless the area is specifically designated or…

The City of Sonoma bans camping, lodging and outdoor sleeping on any city-owned or city-controlled ground, building or…

Stockton bans camping, storing camp gear, or using camp paraphernalia on critical infrastructure, within 30 feet of it…

Temecula outlaws camping on any public or private property, improved or unimproved, under Municipal Code Section…

Turlock bans camping on any public or private property citywide and lets the City post 24-hour notice, remove unclaimed…

Upland Municipal Code § 12.46.030 makes it an unlawful public nuisance to camp, set up camp facilities, or use camp…

Vacaville declares unauthorized camping on any public property, including streets, sidewalks and parks, a public…

Victorville bans camping, erecting an encampment, or storing personal property in streets, parks, open space…

West Covina bans camping and storing personal property in any street, alley, park or public area, and on private…

Westminster makes it unlawful to camp, use camp facilities or camp paraphernalia in any public park, right-of-way or…

Whittier bans camping, camp facilities and camp paraphernalia on every street, alley, public parking lot, park and…

The City of Bellflower, Los Angeles County, makes it unlawful to sleep, camp, or store personal property and camp…

Brentwood bans camping and storing personal property on any city-owned property under Municipal Code Section 7.02.150…

Calaveras County bans camping, encampments, or storing camp gear on public property within 25 feet of critical…

Camping or sleeping in Carlsbad's open space is banned outright, and camping elsewhere in public, like streets, parks…

Ceres Public Works can clear homeless encampments after giving occupants at least 72 hours' written notice, removing…

Camping on public property anywhere in Chico, California is a public nuisance under Municipal Code Chapter 9.20, and…

Chino bans camping and storing personal property on streets, sidewalks, parks and other public areas, with a…

Chula Vista bars maintaining a campsite on public property within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, MSCP conservation land…

Clovis bans sleeping or camping in public rights-of-way, parks, and unimproved private lots without owner permission…

Eastvale bans camping and storing unattended personal property in any public place, and bars sleeping overnight in a…

El Monte's camping ordinance makes it unlawful to camp, pitch camp facilities like tents or use camp paraphernalia such…

Camping on Fontana public property, streets, sidewalks, or parks is banned as a public nuisance, and camping that…

Hemet City Code § 53-1 bars camping and the unattended storage of personal property, tents, sleeping bags or camp…

Huntington Beach bans camping, camp facilities and camp paraphernalia on every public and private property in the city…

Camping, dwelling or sheltering in a vehicle, shanty or open area anywhere in unincorporated Imperial County without…

Indio bans camping and storing personal property on public property citywide, with enforcement officers required to…

Irvine bans camping, encampments and vehicle habitation on public property not designated for it, and on private…

Kern County bans camping on public property for more than three consecutive days in the same spot, plus any…

LAMC § 56.11 prohibits storing unattended personal property or excess personal property (more than a 60-gallon…

Manteca bans unauthorized camping and property storage on public land citywide, but police must give 72 hours written…

Camping is banned at any time on public parks, sidewalks, streets, floodways, ocean beaches and private property…

Menifee Municipal Code Chapter 11.21 makes it unlawful and a public nuisance to camp, use camp facilities, or store…

Moreno Valley bans camping on any street, sidewalk, parking lot, park, or other public or open area citywide, and…

Mountain View has banned camping, lodging or tarrying overnight on a vacant lot or in any building without the owner's…

Section 20.21.1 bans camping, sitting, or lying in a way that blocks a sidewalk, sleeping in designated open space, and…

Orange County bans camping, encampments and non-essential property storage on public property in unincorporated areas…

Palm Springs bans camping or sleeping on public property citywide, with an outright ban near schools, shelters, transit…

Camping, lodging, or sleeping on a Palmdale street, publicly owned property, or in a park is banned under PMC §…

Overnight camping or parking anywhere on public Arroyo Seco land is banned without a city permit. Municipal Code…

Placer County authorizes its enforcement official to 'clean and clear' camp facilities on county property as needed for…

Redding Municipal Code Section 10.40.010 bans camping on city-owned property, streets, parking lots, easements…

Redlands bans camping and storing personal property on public property, streets, sidewalks and unfenced lots citywide…

Redwood City bans camping on public property under Chapter 49 (the Hopeful Horizons ordinance) whenever a shelter bed…

Rialto Municipal Code 9.38.020 makes it unlawful to camp, occupy camping facilities, or use camping paraphernalia on…

Rohnert Park's public camping ordinance bans dumping gray or black water onto sidewalks and storm drains, making…

Sacramento City Code § 12.100.040 makes it unlawful and a public nuisance to camp in an encampment of four or more…

San Bernardino Municipal Code Chapter 12.98 makes it unlawful to camp or store camp facilities, camp paraphernalia or…

San Clemente bans camping on City-owned land, in private open space designated by the zoning code or General Plan, and…

Tents and similar structures are banned from public sidewalks citywide, but the City must offer housing or shelter and…

San Luis Obispo County bans camping or overnight vehicle sleeping in any county park except in designated, assigned…

Camping on public property in unincorporated San Mateo County is banned once an available shelter bed exists, backed by…

San Rafael bans camping outright in parks, parking garages, public facilities, near playgrounds and schools, and on…

Santa Barbara County bans sleeping or camping between a half hour after sunset and 6:00 a.m. on any public road or…

Santa Cruz County doesn't ban camping countywide; it lets the Board of Supervisors designate specific 'no camping…

When shelter isn't available, Santa Rosa's camping ordinance imposes specific health and safety standards on anyone…

Shasta County bans camping or squatting on public property in specific closed zones, including the Keswick Reservoir…

Unincorporated Sonoma County bans camping on public property near buildings, homes, schools, waterways, fire zones and…

Sunnyvale bans camping, storing camp gear, or leaving unattended property in any park, street, or other public property…

Tehama County bans camping within twenty-five feet of a county facility doorway and within one hundred feet of the…

Thousand Oaks bans camping and storing personal property, tents, cots, sleeping paraphernalia, anywhere on public land…

Truckee bans camping, sleeping and storing personal property on Town streets and public property whenever an available…

Vallejo Municipal Code Chapter 7.67 makes it unlawful to camp or store personal property in any park, street or public…

San Buenaventura Municipal Code Chapter 10.150 bans camping and storing personal property in parks, beaches, streets…

Ventura County bans camping, property storage, tents, structures, and open flames in its publicly owned Red Line…

Vista bans camping on any public property, park, street or highway under Municipal Code Section 9.20.020. The rule…

West Sacramento makes it a misdemeanor to camp on public property citywide and tightly restricts camping on private…

Yolo County Code Sec. 6-20.03 bans placing an encampment on County property, adopted after the Board found in Sec…

Yuba City bans camping citywide under Municipal Code Chapter 23, with extra findings on levee integrity and waterway…

Unincorporated Yuba County bans unauthorized camping and property storage on levees, parks, waterway buffers, and…

Camping in public parks, streets, and vacant fields is prohibited as a public nuisance in Visalia; camping on private…

Oakland's Measure W vacant property tax fund pays directly for sanitation, bathroom, and cleaning services at homeless…

Thousand Oaks requires emergency shelters to sit at least 300 feet apart, staff one person per 15 clients around the…