Stanton declares local homelessness emergency, adopts enforcement ordinance and housing options for affected Tina Pacific residents

Stanton’s City Council on part of a special joint meeting approved a set of actions aimed at addressing a surge in unsheltered homelessness and localized impacts in the Tina Pacific neighborhood.

Council adopted Resolution 2024‑040, finding a local emergency caused by a homelessness crisis and directing staff to review continuation of the emergency every 60 days; the proclamation would end on Dec. 31, 2025 unless earlier terminated. Staff presented county and federal data showing a large local increase in homelessness and noted more than $15 million the city has spent since 2019 on outreach coordinators, navigation centers and Project Homekey units.

As part of the emergency package, the council also adopted an ordinance to add Chapter 12.38 to the Stanton Municipal Code. The new chapter prohibits sleeping, sitting, laying or storing personal property in specified public rights of way and other enumerated sensitive locations (including streets, sidewalks, medians, within 10 feet of building entrances, ATMs, EV chargers, within 200 feet of playgrounds and 200 feet of schools/day care centers). The ordinance includes a sliding enforcement scale that begins with administrative citations (fines not exceeding $50 for an initial administrative citation) and allows for escalating administrative fines or legal prosecution for repeated violations; the city attorney retained discretion to pursue criminal prosecution or court orders where warranted. Councilmembers amended the draft to add additional protected locations (storm channels, specified critical utility infrastructure and senior care facilities) before voting.

The council also approved an ordinance banning the repair, assembly and sale of bicycles and bicycle parts on public property (aimed at addressing reported 'chop shop' activity) and authorized staff to execute a lease amendment with the Illumination Foundation to secure access to two additional shelter beds at their Anaheim facility. All three ordinances and the shelter‑bed authorization passed on recorded roll‑call votes in the evening’s actions (each item recorded as passing 5‑0).

Separately, staff presented and the council approved up to three voluntary housing options for residents of city‑owned Tina Pacific properties. For tenants “in good standing” staff proposed emergency permanent relocation outside Tina Pacific (consistent with the Federal Uniform Relocation Act and the California Relocation Assistance Act), relocation to an available Tina Pacific unit in a preferred building with a moving allowance to consolidate occupancy, or remaining in place with the city serving as landlord. Staff stated funding is available in the city’s housing authority fund; the city attorney and staff said the proposed options must be amended to make clear tenants retain any relocation rights required by state and federal relocation law. Public comment from Ugochi Anabera Nicholson (Public Interest Law Project) urged the council to ensure the city’s actions do not undermine tenants’ rights under the California Relocation Assistance Act and the federal Uniform Relocation Act and to adopt evidence‑based, non‑punitive approaches rather than criminalization.

The council voted on each measure separately. Resolution 2024‑040 (emergency declaration) passed on a unanimous roll call vote. The amended Chapter 12.38 ordinance and the bicycle‑repair prohibition both passed on unanimous recorded votes. The Illumination Foundation lease amendment and the Tina Pacific voluntary housing options also passed unanimously. Council members who spoke framed the package as an attempt to both restore access to public rights of way for residents and businesses and to leverage emergency authorities to secure housing resources and expedited responses; some members cautioned that enforcement must be balanced with greater services and shelter capacity.

The council directed staff to continue coordination with county and state partners, to review the emergency status at least every 60 days, and to return with any required administrative or lease documents for the Illumination Foundation amendment.