SACRAMENTO, CA – New legislation has been introduced here that would prevent city and counties in California from issuing fines and jail time to homeless people for acts related to being unhoused, according to State Sen. Sasha Pérez (D-Pasadena).
Pérez, who authored SB 634, told the Sacramento Bee she’s seen fines of up to $1,000 and jail time “for being homeless,” noting people who “aid” the homeless also have been fined.
The Bee said the Bay Area city of Fremont passed an ordinance which makes it a misdemeanor to help the homeless with things like food, water and medical.
The Pérez bill, supported by human rights groups, would also stop people from getting fined for helping the homeless, said the Bee, and quotes Sen. Pérez stating that punishing homeless people for being homeless only makes it harder for them to get housing after jail time and fines.
An investigation by The Sacramento Bee found that in 2023 there was an uptick of camping-related citations issued by the Sacramento Police, and that over a span of 17 months, beginning in August 2023, about 543 citations were issued.
The Bee added that during the same time frame one year before there were just 30 citations by Sacramento Police, noting the increase in citation began after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Grants Pass Ruling on June 28, 2024, that legalized municipalities to get rid of homeless camps and cite the unhoused.
The Sacramento Bee wrote Sacramento Police took a woman to jail for what they called violating a city ordinance that makes it illegal to “camp” on public property. After spending hours in jail she arrived back at her camp where she noticed her items and her dog were gone.
An ice chest she planned to use to store water for the summer heat for her campmates as well as herself was among the items taken, said the woman, who told the Bee she has felt “violated and anxious” since she heard the words “you’re under arrest” and believes the arrest—she was never put in a cell—was made to waste her time and destroy her property.
The Sacramento Bee reported citations often carry fines, writing Sacramento Police gave a woman who uses a wheelchair a citation that resulted in $333 in fines.
“New legislation has been introduced here that would prevent city and counties in California from issuing fines and jail time to homeless people ***** for acts related to being unhoused ***** “. (asterisks mine).
Do ‘acts related to being un-housed’ include CRIMES ? I don’t think people should be fined/arrested for ‘being’ homeless. But should for committing crimes — and in same cases that includes where they set up camp. This distinction needs to be clarified, as the so-called ‘homeless’ already are often not fined/arrested for things the rest of us would be, and this bill shouldn’t be a further, ‘get not arrested free’ card.
“Pérez, who authored SB 634, told the Sacramento Bee she’s seen fines of up to $1,000 and jail time “for being homeless,” ”
Literally ‘for being homeless’ ? What were examples of the actual charges?
“noting people who “aid” the homeless also have been fined.”
I don’t think those who ‘aid’ the homeless, except the HAL’s (homeless advocate lawyers) should be fined.
“The Bee said the Bay Area city of Fremont passed an ordinance which makes it a misdemeanor to help the homeless with things like food, water and medical.”
Yes, BUT, this part of the ordinance was dropped by the City of Fremont (and I agree with doing that). Really poor reporting to keep this in as if it were still the case.