Los Angeles Laws Related to Homelessness – Full Text
Be sure to see our Guide to laws related to homelessness in Los Angeles. Here is the full text of some of the laws referenced in the guide.
All ordinances below are found in the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC)
SEC. 41.19. PUBLIC ASSEMBLAGES – OBSTRUCTING ENTRANCE.
SEC. 41.59. PROHIBITION AGAINST CERTAIN FORMS OF AGGRESSIVE SOLICITATION.
SEC. 41.60. HOSPITALS; PATIENT TRANSPORT.
SEC. 56.11. STORAGE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SEC. 56.12. OBSTRUCTIONS ON STREETS AND SIDEWALKS.
SEC. 85.02. REGULATING THE USE OF VEHICLES FOR DWELLING.
SEC. 190.02. DEPOSITING SOLID WASTE.
SEC. 41.18. SITTING, LYING, OR SLEEPING OR STORING, USING, MAINTAINING, OR PLACING PERSONAL PROPERTY IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY.
(Title and Section amended by Ord. No. 187,127, Eff. 9/3/21.)
(a) No person shall obstruct a street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way:
(1) by sitting, lying, or sleeping, or by storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, in a manner that impedes passage, as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L, No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 328 (1990), as amended from time to time;
(2) by sitting, lying, or sleeping, or by storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, within ten feet of any operational or utilizable driveway or loading dock;
(3) by sitting, lying, or sleeping, or by storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, within five feet of any operational or utilizable building entrance or exit;
(4) by sitting, lying, or sleeping, or by storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, within two feet of any fire hydrant, fire plug, or other fire department connection;
(5) by sitting, lying, or sleeping, or by storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, within the public right-of-way in a manner that obstructs or unreasonably interferes with the use of the right-of-way for any activity for which the City has issued a permit.
(b) No person shall obstruct any portion of any street or other public right-of-way open to use by motor vehicles, or any portion of a bike lane, bike path, or other public right-of-way open to use by bicycles, by sitting, lying, or sleeping, or by storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, anywhere within the street, bike lane, bike path, or other public right-of-way, as specified.
(c) Except as limited by Subsection (d), no person shall:
(1) sit, lie, sleep, or store, use, maintain, or place personal property, in or upon any street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way within the distance stated on the posted signage (up to a maximum of 500 feet) of a property designated as a sensitive use. For a property to be designated as a “sensitive use”, the property must be a Public Park, or Public Library, as those terms are defined in Section 105.01 of this Code; (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(2) sit, lie, sleep, or store, use, maintain, or place personal property, in or upon any street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way within the distance stated on the posted signage (up to a maximum of 500 feet) of a designated overpass, underpass, freeway ramp, tunnel, bridge, pedestrian bridge, subway, wash, spreading ground, or active railway, where the City Council determines, in the designating resolution, that the public health, safety, or welfare is served by the prohibition, including, without limitation, by finding that sleeping or lodging within the stated proximity to the designated area is unhealthy, unsafe, or incompatible with safe passage;
(3) sit, lie, sleep, or store, use, maintain, or place personal property, in or upon any street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way, within the distance stated on the posted signage (up to a maximum of 1,000 feet) of a designated facility, opened after January 1, 2018, that provides shelter, safe sleeping, or safe parking to homeless persons, or that serves as a homeless services navigation center;
(4) sit, lie, sleep, or store, use, maintain, or place personal property, in or upon any street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way that has been posted with signage prohibiting sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property. In order to designate a section of street, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way as prohibited under this subdivision, the City Council shall determine, in a designating resolution and based on specific documentation, that the circumstances of continued sitting, sleeping, lying, storing personal property, or otherwise obstructing the public right-of-way at that location poses a particular and ongoing threat to public health or safety. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to: (i) the death or serious bodily injury of any person at the location due to a hazardous condition; (ii) repeated serious or violent crimes, including human trafficking, at the location; or (iii) the occurrence of fires that resulted in a fire department response to the location. For each such location, a prohibition pursuant to this subdivision shall be effective for a period of time specified in the resolution, but not to exceed one year.
(d) No person shall be found to be in violation of any prohibition set forth in Subsection (c), unless and until: (i) the City Council has taken action, by resolution, to designate a specified area or areas for enforcement against sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, or otherwise obstructing the public right-of-way; (ii) the City has posted signage at the designated area or areas set forth in the resolution, with such signage including reference to any required findings adopted in the resolution, and giving notice of the date after which no sitting, lying, sleeping, or storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property, or otherwise obstructing the public right-of-way will be allowed; and (iii) at least 14 calendar days have passed from the date on which the signage is posted at the designated area or areas.
(e) No person shall sit, lie, sleep, or store, use, maintain, or place personal property, in or upon any street, sidewalk, or other public property within 500 feet of a School or Day Care Center as those terms are defined in Section 105.01 of this Code. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code. (Added by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(f) Violations of this section involving a person who willfully resists, delays, or obstructs a City employee from enforcing this section or who willfully refuses to comply after being requested to do so by an authorized City employee shall be subject to the penalties set forth in Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 11.00. All other violations of this section shall be enforceable only as infractions pursuant to LAMC 11.00(m) or issuance of a citation pursuant to City’s Administrative Citation Enforcement Program pursuant to LAMC Section 11.2.01 et seq.
SEC. 41.19. PUBLIC ASSEMBLAGES – OBSTRUCTING ENTRANCE.
No person shall sit or stand on or at the entrance of any church, hall, theatre or other place of public assemblage in any manner so as to obstruct such entrance.
(Amended by Ord. No. 173,705, Eff. 1/27/01.)
(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
(1) “Solicit, ask or beg” shall include using the spoken, written, or printed word, or bodily gestures, signs or other means with the purpose of obtaining an immediate donation of money or other thing of value or soliciting the sale of goods or services.
(2) “Public place” shall mean a place to which the public or a substantial group of persons has access, and includes, but is not limited to, any street, highway, sidewalk, parking lot, plaza, transportation facility, school, place of amusement, park, playground, and any doorway, entrance, hallway, lobby and other portion of any business establishment, an apartment house or hotel not constituting a room or apartment designed for actual residence.
(b) Aggressive Solicitation prohibited.
(1) No person shall solicit, ask or beg in an aggressive manner in any public place.
(2) “Aggressive manner” shall mean any of the following:
(A) Approaching or speaking to a person, or following a person before, during or after soliciting, asking or begging, if that conduct is intended or is likely to cause a reasonable person to
(i) fear bodily harm to oneself or to another, damage to or loss of property, or
(ii) otherwise be intimidated into giving money or other thing of value;
(B) Intentionally touching or causing physical contact with another person or an occupied vehicle without that person’s consent in the course of soliciting, asking or begging;
(C) Intentionally blocking or interfering with the safe or free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle by any means, including unreasonably causing a pedestrian or vehicle operator to take evasive action to avoid physical contact;
(D) Using violent or threatening gestures toward a person solicited either before, during, or after soliciting, asking or begging;
(E) Persisting in closely following or approaching a person, after the person solicited has been solicited and informed the solicitor by words or conduct that such person does not want to be solicited or does not want to give money or any other thing of value to the solicitor; or
(F) Using profane, offensive or abusive language which is inherently likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction, either before, during, or after solicitation.
(c) All solicitation prohibited at specified locations.
(1) Banks and ATMs. No person shall solicit, ask or beg within 15 feet of any entrance or exit of any bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or check cashing business during its business hours or within 15 feet of any automated teller machine during the time it is available for customers’ use. Provided, however, that when an automated teller machine is located within an automated teller machine facility, such distance shall be measured from the entrance or exit of the automated teller machine facility. Provided further that no person shall solicit, ask or beg within an automated teller machine facility where a reasonable person would or should know that he or she does not have the permission to do so from the owner or other person lawfully in possession of such facility. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit the lawful vending of goods and services within such areas.
(A) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
(i) “Bank” means any member bank of the Federal Reserve System, and any bank, banking association, trust company, savings bank, or other banking institution organized or operated under the laws of the United States, and any bank the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
(ii) “Savings and loan association” means any federal savings and loan association and any “insured institution” as defined in Section 401 of the National Housing Act, as amended, and any federal credit union as defined in Section 2 of the Federal Credit Union Act.
(iii) “Credit union” means any federal credit union and any state-chartered credit union the accounts of which are insured by the Administrator of the National Credit Union Administration.
(iv) “Check cashing business” means any person duly licensed as a check seller, bill payer, or prorater pursuant to Division 3 of the California Financial Code, commencing with section 12000.
(v) “Automated teller machine” shall mean any electronic information processing device which accepts or dispenses cash in connection with a credit, deposit, or convenience account.
(vi) “Automated teller machine facility” shall mean the area comprised of one or more automated teller machines, and any adjacent space which is made available to banking customers after regular banking hours.
(B) Exemptions. The provisions of Subdivision (c)(1) shall not apply to any unenclosed automated teller machine located within any building, structure or space whose primary purpose or function is unrelated to banking activities, including but not limited to supermarkets, airports and school buildings, provided that such automated teller machine shall be available for use only during the regular hours of operation of the building, structure or space in which such machine is located.
(2) Parking lots. (Amended by Ord. No. 182,813, Eff. 12/10/13.)
(A) Parking lots. No person shall solicit, ask or beg in any public parking lot or structure any time after dark. “After dark” means any time from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.
(B) Exemptions. Subdivision (c)(2) shall not apply to any of the following:
(i) to solicitations related to business which is being conducted on the subject premises by the owner or lawful tenants;
(ii) to solicitations related to the lawful towing of a vehicle; or
(iii) to solicitations related to emergency repairs requested by the operator or other occupant of a vehicle.
(3) Public transportation vehicles.
(A) “Public transportation vehicle” shall mean any vehicle, including a trailer bus, designed, used or maintained for carrying 10 or more persons, including the driver; or a passenger vehicle designed for carrying fewer than 10 persons, including the driver, and used to carry passengers for hire.
(B) Any person who solicits, asks or begs in any public transportation vehicle is guilty of a violation of this section.
(d) Penalty. A violation of this section is punishable as a misdemeanor or infraction, chargeable at the City Attorney’s discretion.
(e) Severability. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of the application thereof to any person or circumstance shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance, or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances.
(f) Non-exclusivity. Nothing in this chapter shall limit or preclude the enforcement of other applicable laws.
(Added by Ord. No. 179,913, Eff. 6/30/08.)
(a) Definitions. As used in this section:
(1) “Health Facility” means any “health facility” as defined in Section 1250 of the California Health and Safety Code.
(2) “Patient’s Residence” means the home of the patient, the fixed and regular nighttime residence or domicile of the patient, or, in the case of a patient reasonably perceived to be homeless, the location the patient gives as his or her principal place of dwelling.
(3) “Homeless Patient” means an individual who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence, or who has a primary nighttime residence that is a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations, or who is residing in a public or private place that was not designed to provide temporary living accommodations or to be used as a sleeping accommodation for human beings.
(4) “Written Consent” means knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily given written consent, signed by the patient or the patient’s legal representative.
(b) Prohibited Activity. A health facility may not transport or cause a patient to be transported to a location other than the patient’s residence without written consent, except when the patient is transferred to another health facility following bona fide procedures in accordance with another provision of law.
(c) Violations. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000, a term of probation not to exceed three years, or both.
(d) Punishment Cumulative. The punishment provided for in this section is cumulative to any punishment, penalty, or other relief available under any other law.
(e) Inapplicability. This section shall not apply to:
(1) Patients in the care and custody of a California state hospital operated and administered by the State Department of Mental Health, who are civilly or criminally committed and subject to transfer to the State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Forensic Conditional Release Program, or a court for further proceedings.
(2) Patients who are in the custody or otherwise under the jurisdiction of the State Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, including the Division of Juvenile Justice, the Los Angeles County Sheriff, or the Los Angeles Police Department.
(Amended by Ord. No. 184,182, Eff. 4/11/16.)
1. Declaration of Legislative Intent – Purpose. The City enacts this section to balance the needs of the residents and public at large to access clean and sanitary public areas consistent with the intended uses for the public areas with the needs of the individuals, who have no other alternatives for the storage of personal property, to retain access to a limited amount of personal property in public areas. On the one hand, the unauthorized use of public areas for the storage of unlimited amounts of personal property interferes with the rights of other members of the public to use public areas for their intended purposes and can create a public health or safety hazard that adversely affects those who use public areas. On the other hand, the City’s large and vulnerable homeless population needs access to a manageable amount of essential property for their personal use and well-being. This section attempts to balance the needs of all of the City’s residents.
2. Definitions. The definitions contained in this subsection shall govern the construction, meaning and application of words and phrases used in this section. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(a) “Alley” means any Highway having a Roadway not exceeding 25 feet in width which is primarily for access to the rear or side entrances of abutting property.
(b) “Bikeway” means all facilities that provide primarily for, and promote, bicycle travel.
(c) “City Employee” means any full or part-time employee of the City of Los Angeles or a contractor retained by the City for the purpose of implementing this Section.
(d) “Essential Personal Property” means any and all Personal Property that cumulatively is less than two cubic feet in volume, which, by way of example, is the amount of property capable of being carried within a backpack.
(e) “Excess Personal Property” means any and all Personal Property that cumulatively exceeds the amount of property that could fit in a 60-gallon container with the lid closed.
(f) “Highway” means a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
(g) “Parkway” means the area of the Street between the back of the curb and the Sidewalk that typically is planted and landscaped.
(h) “Person” means any individual.
(i) “Personal Property” means any tangible property, and includes, but is not limited to, goods, materials, merchandise, Tents, tarpaulins, bedding, sleeping bags, hammocks, sheds, structures, mattresses, couches, chairs, other furniture, appliances, and personal items such as household items, luggage, backpacks, clothing, documents, and medication. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(j) “Public Area” or “Public Areas” means all property that is owned, managed or maintained by the City, except property under the jurisdiction of the Department of Recreation and Parks which is governed by Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 63.44, and shall include, but not be limited to, any Street, medial strip, space, ground, building or structure.
(k) “Roadway” means that portion of a Highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel.
(l) “Sidewalk” means that portion of a Highway, other than the Roadway, set apart by curbs, barriers, markings or other delineation, for pedestrian travel.
(m) “Storage Facility” means any facility, whether operated by a public, non-profit or private provider, which allows and has capacity for voluntary storage, free of charge, for a homeless person to store Personal Property up to the equivalent of the amount of property that would fit into a single 60-gallon container with the lid closed.
(n) “Store”, “Stored”, “Storing” or “Storage” means to put Personal Property aside or accumulate for use when needed, to put for safekeeping, and/or to place or leave in a Public Area. Moving Personal Property to another location in a Public Area or returning Personal Property to the same block on a daily or regular basis shall be considered Storing and shall not be considered to be removing the Personal Property from a Public Area. This definition shall not include any Personal Property that, pursuant to statute, ordinance, permit, regulation or other authorization by the City or state, is Stored with the permission of the City or state on real property that is owned or controlled by the City.
(o) “Street” includes every Highway, avenue, lane, Alley, court, place, square, Sidewalk, Parkway, curbs, Bikeway or other public way in this City which has been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use, or such other public property so designated in any law of this state.
(p) “Tent” means a collapsible shelter made of fabric such as nylon or canvas or a tarp stretched and sustained by supports, which is not open on all sides and which hinders an unobstructed view behind or into the area surrounded by the fabric. In order to qualify as a Tent for purposes of this subsection, a Tent, when deconstructed, must be able to fit within a 60-gallon container with the lid closed.
(q) “Unattended” means no Person is present with the Personal Property who asserts or claims ownership over the Personal Property. Conversely, property is considered “Attended” if a Person is present with the Personal Property and the Person claims ownership over the Personal Property.
3. Regulation and Impoundment of Stored Personal Property; Discard of Certain Stored Personal Property.
(a) No Person shall Store any Unattended Personal Property in a Public Area. With pre-removal notice as specified in Subsection 4.(a), the City may impound any Unattended Personal Property in a Public Area, regardless of volume. Post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below.
(b) No Person shall Store any Attended Excess Personal Property in a Public Area. With pre-removal notice as specified in Subsection 4.(a), the City may impound any Attended Excess Personal Property Stored in a Public Area. Post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below.
(c) No Person shall Store any Personal Property in a Public Area in such a manner as to obstruct City operations, including a Street or Sidewalk maintenance or cleaning. Without prior notice, the City may temporarily move Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, which is obstructing City operations in a Public Area, including a Street or Sidewalk maintenance or cleaning, during the time necessary to conduct the City operations. The City also may impound Personal Property that is obstructing City operations in a Public Area, pursuant to Subsection 3.(a) or 3.(b).
(d) No Person shall Store any Personal Property in a Public Area in such a manner that it does not allow for passage as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 328 (1990), as amended from time to time. Without prior notice, the City may move and may immediately impound any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, Stored in a Public Area in such a manner that it does not allow for passage as required by the ADA. Post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(e) No Person shall Store any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, within: (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(1) 10 feet of any operational or utilizable driveway or loading dock;
(2) 5 feet of any operational or utilizable building entrance or exit; or
(3) 2 feet of any fire hydrant, fire plug, or other fire department connection.
Without prior notice, the City may move and may immediately impound any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, Stored in a Public Area in violation of this subsection. Post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code.
(f) No Person shall Store in a Public Area that has a clearly posted closure time any Personal Property after the posted closure time. Without prior notice, the City may remove and impound Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, Stored in a Public Area that has a clearly posted closure time, provided the Personal Property is removed and impounded after the posted closure time. Post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below.
(g) No Person shall Store any Personal Property in a Public Area if the Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, constitutes an immediate threat to the health or safety of the public. Without prior notice, the City may remove and may discard any Personal Property Stored in a Public Area if the Personal Property poses an immediate threat to the health or safety of the public.
(h) No Person shall Store any Personal Property in a Public Area if the Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, constitutes an evidence of a crime or contraband. Without prior notice, the City may remove and may discard any Personal Property that constitutes evidence of a crime or contraband, as permissible by law.
(i) No Person shall Store any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, in such a manner that obstructs or interferes with any activity in a Public Area for which the City has issued a permit. Without prior notice, the City may move any Personal Property Stored in a Public Area in violation of this subsection. With pre-removal notice as specified in Subsection 4.(a), the City may impound any Personal Property Stored in violation of this subsection. Post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(j) No Person shall Store any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, in such a manner as to obstruct any portion of a street or other public right-of-way open to use by motor vehicles, a designated bike lane or bike path, or other public right-of-way open exclusively to use by bicycles. Without prior notice, the City may move and may immediately impound any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, in violation of this subsection. Post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code. (Added by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(k) No Person shall Store any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, in violation of Section 41.18(c) of this Code. The City may move and may immediately impound any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, in violation of this subsection. Pre-removal notice and post-removal notice will be provided by erecting signage providing notice that Storage of Personal Property is a violation of Section 41.18, which may result in the removal or impoundment of the Personal Property. The signage also must provide information on retrieval of the Personal Property and provide notice that the Personal Property may be discarded if not claimed within 90 days. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code. (Added by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(l) No Person shall Store any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, in violation of Section 41.18(e) of this Code. With pre-removal notice as specified in Subsection 4.(a) or posted signage, the City may impound any Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, in violation of this subsection. If the City has not posed signage, a post-removal notice shall be provided as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), below. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code. (Added by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(m) Upon the creation of any new Storage Facility, increased capacity at an Existing Storage Facility or subsidized transportation assistance to a Storage Facility, the Chief Administrative Officer shall report to the Council to inform the Council’s consideration of whether to prohibit a Person from Storing more than Essential Personal Property in a Public Area in a specified radius from a Storage Facility, based upon the amount of the additional storage capacity and the accessibility thereto. In consideration of the CAO’s report, the Council may, by resolution, prohibit a Person within a specified radius of a Storage Facility from Storing more than Essential Personal Property in a Public Area.
4. Notice.
(a) Pre-Removal Notice. Pre-removal notice shall be deemed provided if a written notice is provided to the Person who is Storing or claims ownership of the Personal Property, or is posted conspicuously on or near the Personal Property and the actual removal commences no more than 72 hours after the pre-removal notice is posted. The written notice shall contain the following:
(1) A general description of the Personal Property to be removed.
(2) The location from which the Personal Property will be removed.
(3) The date and time the notice was posted.
(4) A statement that the Personal Property has been stored in violation of Section 56.11, Subsection 3.
(5) A statement that the Personal Property may be impounded if not removed from Public Areas within 24 hours.
(6) A statement that moving Personal Property to another location in a Public Area shall not be considered removal of Personal Property from a Public Area.
(7) The address where the removed Public Property will be located, including a telephone number and the internet website of the City through which a Person may receive information as to impounded Personal Property as well as information as to voluntary storage location(s).
(8) A statement that impounded Personal Property may be discarded if not claimed within 90 days after impoundment.
(b) Post-Removal Notice. Upon removal of Stored Personal Property, written notice shall be conspicuously posted in the area from which the Personal Property was removed. The written notice shall contain the following:
(1) A general description of the Personal Property removed.
(2) The date and approximate time the Personal Property was removed.
(3) A statement that the Personal Property was stored in a Public Area in violation of Section 56.11, Subsection 3.
(4) The address where the removed Personal Property will be located, including a telephone number and internet website of the City through which a Person may receive information as to impounded Personal Property.
(5) A statement that impounded Personal Property may be discarded if not claimed within 90 days after impoundment.
5. Storage and Disposal.
(a) Except as specified herein, the City shall move Personal Property to a place of storage.
(b) Except as specified herein, the City shall store impounded Personal Property for 90 days, after which time, if not claimed, it may be discarded. The City shall not be required to undertake any search for, or return, any impounded Personal Property stored for longer than 90 days.
(c) The City shall maintain a record of the date any impounded Personal Property was discarded.
6. Repossession. The owner of impounded Personal Property may repossess the Personal Property prior to its disposal upon submitting satisfactory proof of ownership. A Person may establish satisfactory proof of ownership by, among other methods, describing the location from and date when the Personal Property was impounded from a Public Area, and providing a reasonably specific and detailed description of the Personal Property. Valid, government-issued identification is not required to claim impounded Personal Property.
7. Ban on Erection of Tents in Certain Public Areas and Regulation of Hours in other Public Areas. (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(a) No Person shall erect, configure, construct, maintain, use, occupy, or allow to remain erected any Tent in any Public Area in violation of Section 41.18 of this Code. Without prior notice, the City may deconstruct any Tent, whether Attended or Unattended, in violation of this subsection. With pre-removal notice as specified in Subsection 4.(a) or posted signage, the City may impound any Tent in violation of this subsection. If the City has not posted signage, the City shall provide post-removal notice of any impounded Tent, as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), herein. A violation of this subsection is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code.
(b) In any Public Area not covered under Subsection 7.(a), above, no Person shall erect, configure, construct, maintain, use, occupy, or allow to remain erected any Tent in any Public Area from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (except during rainfall or when the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit). Without prior notice, the City may deconstruct any Tent, whether Attended or Unattended, located in any Public Area in violation of this subsection or in violation of Subsections 3.(c)-(h), hereof. With pre-removal notice as specified in Subsection 4.(a), the City may impound any Tent in violation of this subsection or Subsections 3.(c)-(h), hereof. The City shall provide post-removal notice for any impounded Tent, as set forth in Subsection 4.(b), herein.
8. Ban on Attachments to Public and Private Property.
(a) Public Property. No Person shall erect any barrier against or lay string or join any wires, ropes, chains or otherwise attach any Personal Property to any public property, including but not limited to, a building or portion or protrusion thereof, fence, bus shelter, trash can, mail box, pole, bench, news rack, sign, tree, bush, shrub or plant, without the City’s prior written consent.
(b) Private Property. No Person shall erect any barrier against or lay string or join any wires, ropes, chains or otherwise attach any Personal Property to any private property in such a manner as to create an obstruction on or across any Street or area where the public may travel.
(c) Removal. Without prior notice, the City may remove any barrier, string, wires, ropes, chains or other attachment of Personal Property, whether Attended or Unattended, to any public property, or to any private property which creates an obstruction to any Street or area where the public may travel.
10. Unlawful Conduct. Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 11.00 shall not apply to violations of this section except as follows: (Amended by Ord. No. 187,586, Eff. 9/18/22.)
(a) No Person shall willfully resist, delay, or obstruct a City employee from moving, removing, impounding, or discarding Personal Property Stored in a Public Area in violation of Subsections 3.(a)-(c) or (f)-(h). A violation of Subsections 3.(d)-(e), (i)-(l), 7.(a) or 8. (in any Public Area subject to Section 41.18 of this Code) is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code.
(b) No Person shall refuse to take down, fold, deconstruct, or put away any Tent erected or configured at any time in violation of Subsection 7.(a) or willfully resist, delay, or obstruct a City employee from taking down, folding, deconstructing, putting away, moving, removing, impounding, or discarding a Tent, including by refusing to vacate the Tent. A violation of Subsection 7.(a) in any Public Area subject to Section 41.18 of this Code is governed by Section 41.18(f) of this Code.
(c) No Person shall refuse to take down, fold, deconstruct, or put away any Tent erected or configured between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., in violation of Subsection 7.(b), or willfully resist, delay or obstruct a City employee from taking down, folding, deconstructing, putting away, moving, removing, impounding, or discarding the Tent, including by refusing to vacate the Tent.
(d) A violation of Subsection 9. prohibiting illegal dumping.
(e) If Subsection 3.(m) becomes operative by resolution in any area of the City subject to Section 41.18 of this Code, a violation of Subsection 3.(m) will be subject to Section 41.18(f) of this Code. If Subsection 3.(m) becomes operative by resolution in any Public Area of the City not subject to Section 41.18(f) of the Code, no Person shall willfully resist, delay or obstruct a City employee from removing or impounding any Personal Property that exceeds the limit on Essential Personal Property.
11. Designated Administrative Agency. The City’s Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation, is hereby charged with serving as the Designated Administrative Agency (DAA), for the purposes of this ordinance. The DAA shall promulgate rules, protocols and procedures for the implementation and enforcement of this ordinance, consistent with the provisions herein.
12. Severability. If any subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this article is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this section, and each and every subsection, sentence, clause and phrase thereof not declared invalid or unconstitutional, without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
(Amended by Ord. No. 186,366, Eff. 10/31/19.)
1. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity occupying or having charge or control of any premises to place or cause to be placed, or allow to remain upon the sidewalk, or upon the street in front of, behind, or adjacent to such premises, anything which shall obstruct any portion of the public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, a sidewalk, street, alley, or parkway, without a valid permit therefor. The prohibition in this section shall not apply to any article or substance temporarily placed on the sidewalk or street during the active process of loading or unloading, but only during the minimum amount of time for the active loading and unloading to occur and provided the article or substance does impede passage as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, 104 Stat. 328 (1990), as amended from time to time.
2. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to enter into a lease, rental agreement, or contract of any kind, written or oral, with or without compensation, for the use of any public right-of-way, including, but not limited to, a sidewalk, street, alley, or parkway.
3. Severability. If any subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this article is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this section. The City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted this section and each and every subsection, sentence, clause, and phrase thereof not declared invalid or unconstitutional, without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
(Amended by Ord. No. 186,236, Eff. 8/2/19.)
A. Use of Vehicles for Dwelling Restricted on City Streets. No person shall use a Vehicle for Dwelling as follows:
1. Between the hours of 9:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M. on any Residential Street; or
2. At any time within a one Block radius of any edge of a lot containing a park or a licensed school, pre-school or daycare facility.
Nothing herein precludes the enforcement of any other laws such as parking restrictions, including, but not limited to, prohibitions on overnight parking.
B. Definitions. As used in this section:
1. Block is defined as 500 feet.
2. Dwelling means more than one of the following activities and when it reasonably appears, in light of all the circumstances, that a person is using a vehicle as a place of residence or accommodation:
Possessing inside or on a vehicle items that are not associated with ordinary vehicle use, such as a sleeping bag, bedroll, blanket, sheet, pillow, kitchen utensils, cookware, cooking equipment, bodily fluids. Obscuring some or all of the vehicle’s windows. Preparing or cooking meals inside or on a vehicle. Sleeping inside a vehicle.
3. Residential Street means any street which adjoins one or more single family or multi-family residentially zoned parcel.
4. Vehicle means any motor vehicle, trailer, house car or trailer coach as defined by the California Vehicle Code.
C. Penalty. A first violation of this section shall be punishable as an infraction not to exceed $25. A second violation of this section shall be punishable as an infraction not to exceed $50 and all subsequent violations of this section shall punishable as an infraction not to exceed $75. Violators may be eligible for referral to a prosecutorial-led diversion program such as the Homeless Engagement and Response Team (HEART).
D. Sunset Provision. This section shall expire and be deemed to have been repealed on January 1, 2020, unless extended by ordinance.
E. Severability. If any portion, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this section is for any reason held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such a decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this section. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each portion or subsection, sentence, clause and phrase herein, irrespective of the fact that any one or more portions, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid.
It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit or cause to be deposited any putrescible and non-putrescible solid wastes including combustible or noncombustible rubbish, refuse, trash, dewatered, treated or chemically fixed sewage sludge, or discarded solid or semisolid wastes or regulated recyclable materials of any kind whatsoever upon or in any street, public area, any private premises in this City, or in the Los Angeles River, or in the bed thereof without obtaining all required approvals and/or permits to do so.