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After Supreme Court's Grants Pass ruling, Stockton staff outline parks "take-back" plan and a study session
Summary
City Manager Black briefed the council on the U.S. Supreme Court's Grants Pass v. Johnson decision and proposed an operational "take back parks" strategy plus a study session in August to evaluate code changes, enforcement procedures, storage and notice protocols, and fiscal and logistic needs. Public commenters and council members urged pairing enforcement with shelter capacity and services.
City Manager Black delivered a policy update after the U.S. Supreme Court's June 28 decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, telling the council Stockton must balance enforcement tools with service delivery as the city considers updates to camping, camping-notice, and property-collection practices.
Black said the Grants Pass ruling reversed the Ninth Circuit's earlier decision and allows broadly applicable anti-camping ordinances to survive Eighth Amendment challenge in some circumstances, but cautioned enforcement still raises due-process and search-and-seizure issues where impoundment of tents or belongings is involved. He told the council staff will do a crosswalk of Grants Pass, Stockton code, and Grants Pass city code and bring policy options to a public study session in August for council direction.
Black reviewed Stockton's recent investments in homelessness response: more than $72 million in rental support and one-time funding from 2020—2023, 6,200 families assisted, 430 additional shelter beds, and nearly $30 million invested in affordable housing projects. He said immediate operational steps will prioritize parks cleanup and that city departments (police and public works) are coordinating a parks plan while staff completes legal and operational due diligence.
Public commenters and housing advocates urged city leaders to avoid punitive-only approaches and to coordinate closely with county partners, expand shelter and safe-parking options, and include unhoused people in planning. Council members said they support a measured approach that combines increased services with clarified enforcement procedures and asked staff to involve nonprofit partners and the county in forthcoming discussions. No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff will return with recommended code language and a study-session date.
