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Residents urge action on encampments, immigration concerns and vendor enforcement; police cite California Values Act
Summary
Residents and business owners at the Feb. 5 public forum told the Los Banos City Council that a nearby encampment has caused crime, debris and sanitation problems and asked for fencing, more servicing and clearer coordination between city staff and law enforcement.
Residents, business owners and community representatives used the Feb. 5 public‑comment period to raise several recurring local issues: an encampment near the 900 block of G Street that local businesses say has produced vandalism and safety concerns; anxiety about recent immigration enforcement nationwide and a request for clearer local statements; calls for stronger enforcement of mobile food‑vendor rules; and progress requests on neighborhood parks and tiny‑home funding.
Encampment impacts on nearby businesses: Lamont Goldstein, who identified himself as a small business owner at 94952 G Street, told the council that a city relocation last year moved people living on the rail trail into a newly configured encampment across the street from several businesses. He said the site includes “two 200 feet by 100 foot wide C‑shaped enclosures” and described repeated vehicle break‑ins, thefts of tools, assaults and a “proliferation of prostitution, drug dealing” in the area. Goldstein asked the city for trash removal, more frequent servicing of portable toilets and security fencing similar to that installed at other city properties.
Business owners and others in the public forum reiterated those concerns and asked the council for timelier action, with one speaker calling for the city to require the same security fencing the city required for public works properties.
Public-safety and immigration: Several Spanish‑speaking residents urged the council and police to explain their policies and what residents should expect if federal immigration crews perform enforcement actions. During the public forum an acting police chief read a prepared statement that referenced SB 54 — the California Values Act — and summarized department practice. The statement said, in part: “The Los Banos Police Department is dedicated to protecting all members of our community. Immigration is not our role... We go after those that are bringing in fentanyl, those that are taking part in human trafficking... We do not alter our enforcement efforts based on immigration status.” The chief also said law enforcement will continue to prioritize narcotics, weapons and serious crimes.
Shelter, tiny homes and ARPA: The council received a letter from a resident requesting updates on an $11,000,000 grant the city received to build tiny homes for people experiencing homelessness; the letter also asked whether conditions to receive the grant have been met and whether the city will budget for supportive services including social workers and harm‑reduction buses. Council staff told the meeting that a presentation on the tiny‑homes grant is scheduled for the Feb. 19 council meeting and that the city has received the funds.
Mobile food vendors and local codes: Several residents raised enforcement concerns about mobile food vendors on Pacheco Boulevard, saying some appear permanent and operate past permitted hours. A resident urged the council to enforce existing codes that require vendor access to employee restrooms, time-of-day limits, and prohibitions on permanent structures.
Parks, community engagement and labor standards: Speakers sought transparency about Shaughnessy Village Park and Danzo Way intersection work, requested weekend community workshops to increase public participation and asked for updates on when park work will be completed. A carpenter representing the NorCal Carpenters Union urged the council to adopt labor standards for city construction projects to ensure prevailing wages, apprenticeships and local hiring on public works, warning that the city risks wage theft and contractor misclassification without standards.
What the council said it will do: Council members and staff said they will post the written public comments to the city website, schedule the tiny‑homes grant presentation for Feb. 19, and pursue follow‑up on sanitary servicing and trash pickup requests for the encampment location. Council members also asked staff whether translation services and Spanish‑language materials could be posted online and made available for future meetings.
