City Council Votes 11-2 to extend area of camping ban

The City Council voted on Tuesday to expand the public area where camping is banned to include an intersection in the Chatsworth Area. District 12 Councilmember John Lee applauded the vote and continues to push for more even enforcement. The majority of the arrests in the city have occurred in Lee’s district, which also has the fewest number of homeless in the city.

Council Woman Nithya Raman who voted against the resolution. Photo Credit: Way Back Machine

Hugo Soto-Martinez also voted against the resolution. Photo Credit: Ballotpedia

Once again, Nithya Ramen and Hugo Soto-Martinez voted against the resolution. There is a concern that the uneven enforcement among different districts has caused confusion and led to denser population of homeless individuals in the areas that are not currently enforcing the resolution. 41.18 was supported by a large majority on the City Council and allows the Councilmembers to designate zones in their districts that make it unlawful to camp or store belongings. Used mainly around schools and parks, 41.18 has been law for a number of years.