Armed with a Supreme Court ruling and encouragement from Governor Gavin Newsom, cities have become more aggressive about clearing homeless encampments.
And in Contra Costa County, Antioch is looking for tools to make it easier to move people along, while also giving them someplace to go.
On Tuesday morning, Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe met the media at a trail that has become a gathering place for the unhoused. Currently, the city’s ban on overnight camping only extends to parks and recreation centers.
The mayor wants it to include all city properties, including trails, creeks, sidewalks and streets. He said the expanded ordinance would allow the city to clear campers without a time-consuming noticing period, but he recognized that it’s a makeshift approach to the problem.
“This update to the ordinance is not a solution to homelessness,” said Hernandez-Thorpe. “It’s a solution to keep our trails and waterways clear, but it doesn’t house anybody.”