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12h ago

San Diego County Finalizes Stricter Rules on Homeless Encampments

The updated ordinance bans unsafe camping and ignition sources to address wildfire risks and takes effect in 30 days.

Spike Gibson, 69, a retired construction worker, looks through his personal belongings in a shopping cart near the parking lot off Jamacha Blvd. in Spring Valley, CA. Gibson says he is living on the streets in the nearby area however, in the past he has slept in the empty parking lot. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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Overview

  • The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an updated camping ordinance for unincorporated areas on May 20, 2025.
  • The new rules prohibit homeless encampments using tents, hand-built structures, or involving possession of ignition sources such as lighters on county land.
  • Sheriff’s deputies are empowered to issue citations for camping activities posing imminent risks of wildfire, serious injury, or health hazards.
  • The ordinance was driven by recent wildfires traced to encampments, including the January 2025 Center Fire in Rancho Bernardo.
  • Recent data shows a modest decline in the unsheltered homeless population in unincorporated areas, dropping from 201 in 2024 to 178 in January 2025.