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Police and code teams describe enforcement tools, anti-camping ordinance and property rules
Summary
City police and code-enforcement staff described how outreach, enforcement and an anti-camping ordinance operate together to address encampments; the city attorney said the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision expanded options for local enforcement but Costa Mesa relies on an existing settlement and shelter capacity to justify enforcement actions.
City police and code-enforcement leaders described a joint approach that pairs outreach with targeted enforcement and legal tools to keep public spaces usable while offering services.
"You can't arrest your way out of homelessness," Captain Watkins said while describing the Costa Mesa Police Department's role: offering services and using enforcement to deter long-term encampments and criminal behavior. Watkins said the department's Community Policing Unit cleared 110 encampments last year, connected 25 people to housing with help from outreach, made about 255 arrests and issued 28 citations;…
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