Porterville council backs updated camping rules, asks staff to explore reunification program

The Porterville City Council voted unanimously to advance proposed updates to the city’s ordinance on unauthorized camping and the storage of personal property and asked staff to further examine a voluntary reunification program for people experiencing homelessness.

City attorneys and staff told the council the proposed ordinance refines where camping is restricted (for example near critical infrastructure, schools and playgrounds), clarifies enforcement steps and handling of personal property, and shortens certain timelines. Specifically, the draft would set a minimum 24-hour notice for some enforcement in routine circumstances (instead of the previous 72-hour minimum), while keeping authority for shorter notice in exigent circumstances. The draft also proposes shortening the minimum guaranteed storage period for certain personal property from 90 days to 60 days.

The staff report cited recent legal developments and guidance — including a U.S. Supreme Court decision referenced in the staff presentation — as part of the reason for updating the local ordinance, and attached the governor’s model ordinance and examples from other cities for council review.

Council members asked detailed questions about private-property enforcement procedures, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) considerations, and whether gaps existed in field coverage. Police and code enforcement staff said they had existing procedures for private-property trespass notices, notarized no-trespass forms and administrative follow-up for absentee owners; the departments said they also receive electronic alerts for expiring notices and coordinate enforcement when necessary.

Council members also discussed the reunification concept — a voluntary service in which a city partners with nonprofits or other jurisdictions to help individuals reconnect with family or support networks elsewhere, including financial or travel assistance in some models. Staff provided examples from other California jurisdictions: family reunification efforts in Oceanside and San Diego, Santa Monica’s Project Homecoming, and San Jose’s Homeward Bound pilot. The presentation noted Project Homecoming’s historical results (more than 1,600 reunifications at about $214 per person reported in one program’s summary) as an example of a model the city could study further.

Councilman Beltran moved to proceed with the draft ordinance and to direct staff to continue evaluating a reunification program. Vice Mayor McCurvey and other council members expressed support for the approach and for continuing interagency coordination. The council asked staff to return with a draft ordinance and, if the reunification concept is favored, a program plan with implementation details and funding sources.

No immediate funding commitment for a reunification program was made; staff said further direction would be required to identify administrators, partners and budget implications.