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Goleta adopts administrative‑citation approach for camping and vehicle dwelling; directs staff on ordinance changes
Summary
The council voted to begin enforcing existing camping and vehicle‑dwelling rules using an administrative citation process forgivable if individuals accept services; council also gave staff direction on several ordinance changes, including adding evidentiary factors for vehicle dwelling, removing towing as an enforcement step for people’s vehicles,
The Goleta City Council on Oct. 7 directed staff to begin enforcing the city’s existing camping and vehicle‑dwelling prohibitions using a new administrative‑citation process and provided a set of policy instructions to refine how encampments and vehicle dwelling are handled.
Under the administrative citation approach presented by neighborhood services manager Winnie Kai and homelessness coordinator Chuck Flax, deputies would issue an administrative citation (a city civil fine) after a warning when someone is found dwelling in a vehicle or maintaining an encampment that violates city code. The proposed citation structure mirrors existing administrative enforcement elsewhere in the city: a $100 fine for a first violation, $200 for a second, and $500 for third and subsequent violations within a year. Staff said the citation would be forgivable if the person enrolls in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and accepts outreach services such as safe‑parking placement, shelter navigation or case management.
Why it matters: Staff and advocates said the forgiveness feature is intended to create an incentive to accept services while preserving a non‑criminal civil enforcement path distinct from court‑issued infractions or misdemeanor prosecutions. Councilmembers framed the change as a tool to address a rising number of vehicle‑dwelling complaints — staff reported a roughly 95% increase over the prior year — while continuing the city’s case‑management and outreach approach.
Council direction and policy choices: After presentation, public comment and deliberation the council provided staff the following directions and policy guidance:
- Direct staff to begin enforcement using the administrative citation process and to report back to council on outcomes. The council approved that motion by roll call (unanimous). - Do not adopt the governor’s model ordinance provision that would require people to move encampments 200 feet every three days; the council instructed staff not to incorporate that specific “200‑foot/3‑day” relocation requirement into city code. - Require additional indicia be added to the city’s vehicle‑dwelling ordinance to give deputies clearer factors to assess when a parked vehicle is being used for dwelling (for example: beds or bedding visible, cooking equipment, significant personal effects, repeated overnight occupancy, blocking vehicle windows). Staff and the sheriff’s community resource deputy agreed to propose specific “indicia” language. - Remove towing as an enforcement option for vehicles that serve as a person’s home. Councilmembers and the sheriff’s deputy expressed concern that towing a person’s home can make a situation worse and can be counterproductive to housing outcomes. - Change the city’s encampment‑clearing policy to align with county practice on notice and storage: council directed staff to move from 72‑hour notice to 48‑hour notice for clearing encampments and to reduce the threshold for stored items from $100 to $50 in value as suggested in the governor’s model ordinance.
Staff emphasized the council’s enforcement motion remains coupled with the city’s homelessness strategic plan, which prioritizes outreach, temporary shelter, and permanent housing. Chuck Flax reported existing partnerships and programs the city uses to support people experiencing homelessness, including five local safe‑parking spaces operated by New Beginnings Counseling Center and a county program (often called CERF 3) providing outreach, case management and housing navigation.
Public comment: Neighbors from the Phelps Road/Pacific Oaks area described visible impacts from oversized vehicles, trash, and perceived safety concerns; providers and the regional Continuum of Care urged continuing a service‑first approach and recommended revisiting strategy after an upcoming county study of vehicular homelessness. The record includes public comments urging both stronger enforcement and expanded services and safe parking options.
What happens next: Staff will implement the administrative‑citation process in collaboration with the sheriff’s community resource deputy, specify proposed ordinance language for vehicle‑dwelling indicators and encampment procedures, and return with ordinance drafts and a report back to council documenting early results and operational impacts.
