On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors will consider updating its unsafe camping ordinance in an attempt to prevent wildfires caused by homeless encampments in unincorporated areas.
The supervisors will have the choice of several options to add to the ordinance, such as whether to add provisions related to fire risks, add protections in specific areas such as open spaces and public works infrastructure and/or adopt a 24-hour notification period for those people experiencing homelessness who might be impacted.
They can also vote to leave the existing ordinance untouched, a law which "allow[s] law enforcement to prohibit and abate illegal encampments, remove improperly stored property on public property, and protect vacant property, such as the San Diego River corridor, from fire and pollution," a county statement reads.
Supervisor Joel Anderson has been focused on the issue of back country fires caused by human hand.
"Passing an Unsafe Camping Ordinance in San Diego County's unincorporated communities is a crucial step to protect all residents," a statement from his office read. "News reports have confirmed the origin of several recent fires being encampments, including the Center Fire in Rancho Bernardo (in District 2) in January of this year."
In the proposal to the board, Anderson's staff tried to offer an olive branch to people who might oppose such a sweeping ordinance.
"The County has, and would continue to have, a "services first" approach with the goal of connecting people with sheltering, food, and, where appropriate, substance use disorder and mental health treatment," they write.
The move comes after last year's City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, a Supreme Court-decided case which allows local governments to enforce camping bans through citations or arrest regardless of the number of shelter beds open.
The discussion Tuesday follows one late last month when the board voted 4-0 to advance a proposal to clear homeless encampments during red flag, or high fire, warnings.
Authored by Supervisor Jim Desmond, the proposal directs county staff to also:
— prioritizes moving people out of high fire-risk areas, with a focus on public safety;
— looks at housing options for displaced people if their encampment is cleared; and
— works with other jurisdictions in the county on similar fire- prevention measures.
Staffers were also directed to present their recommendations to improve removal policies in 90 days.
"This proactive approach aims to protect lives, mitigate fire risks and support vulnerable populations by ensuring they are not left in harm's way during dangerous fire conditions," Desmond's office said in a statement.
Before Tuesday's vote, Desmond claimed that more than 50% of fires in California were started by homeless individuals, though some challenged the accuracy of that figure during public comment. He said he was willing to share his sources for the statistic.
Desmond pointed to recent fires in the San Diego neighborhoods of La Jolla, Mission Valley and Oceanside, warning that they could have threatened schools and homes if Santa Ana winds had been present.
Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe said she appreciated how the suggested policy focused on emergency fire warnings, but it was also important to have a place for people to go if removed from a homeless encampment.
"There's nothing that will come before me that if it doesn't have that, at least as part of the conversation, that I will support," Montgomery Steppe said.
