National City Council voted unanimously to move forward with plans to implement a homeless encampment ban. This was a first reading, and Council will vote again at its Sept. 17 Council meeting. And if passed, the ordinance will take effect and be in force 30 days from its date of passage.
This comes after the Supreme Court overturned the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in the Johnson v. City of Grants Pass in 2023 by determining that the prohibition of sleeping accessories and the administration of sleeping in public is constitutional. And Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-1-24 directing state departments and agencies under his authority to adopt policies consistent with the California Departments of
Transportation’s encampment policy, that bans prohibiting camping and sleeping in public areas may be enforced.
The ordinance prevents people from camping on city streets from 5:30-9:30 p.m. when shelter beds are available, and regardless of available beds the ordinance also bans encampments within two blocks of schools, within any transit hub, on trolly platforms, trolly tracks and waterways, according to the City’s staff report. The San Diego Rescue Mission is the only homeless shelter serving National City, with a current capacity of 77 individuals. It is a 30-day shelter with 162 beds that assists families with children and adults. With this executive order, Newsom said he would start taking state funds away from cities and counties that are not doing enough to move people out of encampments and into shelter. Additionally, it encourages local governments to adopt policies consistent with the executive order to use all available resources and infrastructure to remove encampments from public spaces.
City Manager Ben Martinez recommended that Council act now, as the city is currently overwhelmed more than ever in the past, and the encampments negatively impact the quality of life for National City residents and businesses.
Using the Homeless Point In Time Count, the number of unsheltered individuals has risen from 125 in 2020 to 174 in 2024. Of the 174, 18 are veterans, 14 women, and 9 youth. From Jan. 1, 2021, through Aug. 24, 2024, there have been at least 1,283 crime cases in which “transient” was listed in the address of the report. During this same time, there have been at least 748 arrests in which “transient” was listed as the address in the report.
Staff reported that recently it applies to the Encampment Resolution Funding Grant, requesting $15.5 million for outreach and case management, interim housing, and permanent housing. Half the grant is for permanent housing subsidy needed to higher rent rates. If received, grant partners would be National Alliance on Mental Illness, People Assisting the Homeless, SBCS, Family Health Centers, San Diego Rescue Mission, National City Police Department and its Homeless Outreach & Mobile Engagement Team.
Mayor Ron Morrison said since San Diego has passed its ordinance, and the city faces National City on two sides, Chula Vista on the other side who will be addressing this issue next week at its council meeting, he is concerned that National City would have a surge in homeless individuals.
“Without this, we are going to get pushed into the middle,” he said. “Without this it is going to be hard for us to tell the state, ‘To do your job.’ We have police, fire, and public works spending a great amount of time away from the services that our businesses and residents expect in the community. We are taking away from our residents and businesses to deal with these problems.”
Morrison said overwhelmingly, homeless individuals refuse services that are offered by partnering agencies, but since some cities have passed ordinances against encampments, more are accepting resources available. He said this ordinance is not to be punitive, but it is meant to be a humane approach to the problem.
