San Bernardino County Bans Homeless Encampments; Housing Coalition and Time for Change Push Back
2 min read
Members of the Inland Region Housing Justice Coalition gather outside San Bernardino County Government Center on Sept. 9, urging supervisors to reject the encampment ban ordinance.
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors voted Sept. 9 to approve an ordinance banning homeless encampments on county public property and public rights of way, citing dangers including flooding, wildfire, extreme heat and cold, rail collisions, and traffic accidents.
The Inland Region Housing Justice Coalition — which includes Time for Change Foundation, IE Tenants Union, Victor Valley Family Resource Center, ACLU of Southern California, Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), Inland Equity Community Land Trust, Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC), and Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity — opposed the measure and urged investments in housing and services.
“The number of encampments on county public property has increased over recent years,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe. “These conditions threaten not only those living within the encampments, but also the broader community. The goal of this ordinance is to address critical health and safety risks, while also ensuring that people experiencing homelessness have access to the care and support they need.”
The County said the ordinance aligns with a July 2024 executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom encouraging local governments to adopt policies to address homeless encampments and to humanely remove encampments. Following adoption, officials said they will prioritize flood channels and other areas that expose inhabitants to critical health and safety dangers, and will connect individuals to housing and supportive services while continuing outreach.
“Passing this ordinance is an important step in our proactive approach to addressing homeless encampments,” said Rowe. “It also ensures that people experiencing homelessness have access to the appropriate supportive services.”
Coalition leaders said the ordinance targets people experiencing homelessness without solving the region’s underlying shortages of housing and care. “The ordinance fails to address the real crisis. Our region’s lack of affordable housing and supportive services,” said the Inland Region Housing Justice Coalition in a joint statement. “Criminalizing homelessness only deepens poverty and makes it harder for people to get back on their feet.”
“We need investment in housing, not handcuffs,” said Raynesha Belvins, Homelessness Survivor and Advocate of Time for Change Foundation.
“This ordinance may have passed, but our community is united in demanding dignity and solutions,” added the coalition. “We will continue to push for policies that reflect compassion, equity, and justice,” said Sharon Green – CEO of Victor Valley Family Resource Center.
During the public hearing, coalition representatives urged county leaders to prioritize permanent supportive housing, rental protections, addiction treatment, mental health care, and wraparound support. They emphasized that enforcement-targeted policies are harmful and costly to taxpayers, while housing-first models save money and lives.
