City of Long Beach to clear out homeless encampments

Homeless people refusing to leave certain encampments in Long Beach could be cited and arrested as the city begins cleaning up certain areas Monday.  

This comes after a Supreme Court ruling removing barriers to clearing encampments. Gov. Gavin Newsom has also threatened to withhold funding from cities not taking steps to address homelessness.

The city of Long Beach says they will continue to take a human-centered approach to homelessness but the potential for law enforcement intervention is on the table. 

Signs were placed in areas where people camp to warn of the changes, but these were more than just a warning about a homeless encampment cleanup. They were also a sign of a change coming to Long Beach’s approach to homelessness enforcement.

According to a memo released Monday by Long Beach's deputy city manager: “Police officers responding to calls for service will now have the discretion to enforce ordinances restricting camping or sleeping in public places”.

If someone's only violation is breaking rules against camping, their citation or arrest will likely be referred to City departments like Health and Human Services, public works, and the city attorney’s office.  

However, if police respond to a camping violation and find a homeless person has committed additional crimes “This will be addressed through arrests or citations in accordance with local, state, and federal law.”

Some neighbors of Gumbiner Park were happy to hear of the encampment cleanup scheduled for Monday, with the hope that the City of Long Beach will also offer support services to those they clear out which the City has pledged to do.

Benjamin Chambers, who says he’s slept in Gumbiner Park for more than two years, tells NBC4 he understands why people take issue with some of the homeless activity there, and says he’d be willing to leave if he were able to get housing assistance.

“Even if they have to snatch me up like they been doing everybody else. Snatch me up and put me in a place,” Chambers said. 

Officers will have discretion to address encampments they come across, but the City of Long Beach will also focus on priority areas including public parks, libraries, and beach areas. NBC4 has learned Billie Jean King Library, Lincoln Park, Veterans Park, Jenni Rivera Memorial Park, and Gumbiner Park are on the lists of areas to be cleared out. 

Long Beach’s camping enforcement memo comes in response to a US Supreme Court ruling and state executive order clearing the path to clearing encampments. According to the memo, the anti-camping ordinance in priority locations will be enforced by misdemeanor citations: 

The city of Long Beach acknowledges that citations and arrests don’t address the problem of some people not having anywhere else to go. 

They also call for an expansion of shelter beds and housing vouchers with the goal of being able to offer people a place to go when they’re forced to a place they’re not allowed to be.