The county Board of Supervisors today unanimously voted 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.
Open flames being used for cooking or warmth without fire prevention measures poses a hazard that threatens the entire county, he added. Desmond said his proposal, in a form of a board letter, focuses on preventing fires and not punishing those without shelter.
"We all saw what happened in (Los Angeles)," he said, referring to the Eaton and Palisades fires in early January. Those devastating blazes caused 29 deaths and destroyed thousands of homes.
Desmond said that there are numerous logistical issues to still work out for any future policy, and noted one big reason for homelessness is that people can refuse help, even though resources are available.
"We have to do everything in our control to prevent fires," he said. Supervisor Joel Anderson, who last October proposed an unsafe camping ordinance set to be discussed at a future meeting, said the issue was a major concern for him as a resident of a red-flag fire zone.
"This isn't about whether you're compassionate about (homelessness) or not — this is about whether somebody has the right to burn down your neighborhood and put your life at risk," he added.
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.
Vice Chair Terra Lawson-Remer credited Anderson and Desmond for their work on homeless encampments, but said it was important not to duplicate those efforts.
She echoed Montgomery Steppe's concern on helping people without a permanent residence, saying that embarrassing for a society that makes it illegal for people to sleep somewhere.
Desmond's proposal won praise from several residents and officials.
Chief Joe Napier of the Valley Center Fire Protection District said that while the initiative is a difficult one, it could be effective with coordination between the county Sheriff's Office, fire department and code compliance officials for patrols.
A policy would let public safety officials educate people in encampments on evacuation mechanisms and apps, Napier said.
"We believe it's a holistic community approach to problems like this that can be attained through cooperative measures," he added.
After the fires in Los Angeles, "I really don't see who would not be for this," said one woman calling herself Oliver Twist, who added that she had to evacuate during the 2003 Cedar Fire.
Some opponents, like Lawson-Remer and Montgomery Steppe, cited the need to further help homeless people. John Brady of Lived Experience Advisers said he and his team have struggled with the issue.
Regional anti-camping bans have "pushed everybody into ever-more dangerous regions," he said. "That's all we've done."
Brady said there are thousands of mobile homes and travel trailers in the county that could be made available to those needing shelter.
Jessie Schmitte of Alliance San Diego said an encampment ban only hides the growing homeless crisis, which calls for expanded housing or shelter options.
"You can't talk about one without having solutions for the other," he said. "San Diego should lead with compassion, not cruelty."
