LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Over three years, Los Angeles’ anti-camping law, enacted to address homelessness, cost the city over $3 million while resulting in permanent housing for only two individuals, according to a memo released Friday.
The ordinance, known as Section 41.18 of the Municipal Code, took effect on September 3, 2021. It restricts where people can sit, lie, sleep, or store personal belongings in public spaces. The Los Angeles City Council approved this measure to prevent the obstruction of public areas, enhance safety, and reduce homeless encampments.
During this period, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and other service providers engaged with 174 encampments, involving a total of 1,856 homeless individuals. Of those, 313 were placed in temporary housing, and only two secured permanent housing, resulting in a placement rate of approximately 17%.
LAHSA reported that 81% of the encampment sites were repopulated, with an average return rate of 39%, indicating that around 4 in 10 individuals returned to their original encampment within two weeks of the city posting 41.18 signs.
“Our office estimates that the city spent approximately $3 million on ordinance implementation between September 2021 and December 2023,” wrote Sharon Tso, chief legislative analyst, in her memo. This figure is a minimum estimate, as some departments, including the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), could not separate their 41.18-related labor costs from overall expenditures.
The LAPD issued 3,183 citations for violations of the anti-camping law from January 2021 to December 2023. About 75% of these citations were issued in the Devonshire, West Los Angeles, and Rampart divisions. The increased number of citations in these areas was attributed to enhanced training on enforcement procedures, responses to local crime trends, and addressing community concerns.
LAPD officials claimed that the policy had an “overwhelmingly positive” impact on public safety by reducing the number of encampments associated with chronic violence and crime.
The City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee is set to review the report. City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, who called for the review of the anti-camping law’s effectiveness, highlighted that it took over eight months for the report to be completed. Tso noted that discrepancies identified in LAHSA’s findings, received in November 2023, delayed the report.
Housing and homeless advocates have long criticized the anti-camping law, arguing that it criminalizes homeless individuals and is an ineffective use of funds in addressing homelessness.