The city of San Bernardino can resume homeless encampment removals following the dismissal of a lawsuit and lifting of an injunction last week.
U.S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter dismissed a suit by the American Civil Liberties Union and lifted an injunction prohibiting the city from doing homeless encampment cleanups. The judge’s actions follow an agreement between the city and ACLU on updated policies on how cleanups are conducted.
“This is the number one concern we hear from our residents,” San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran said in a statement. “The lifting of the injunction gives us options for addressing unhoused individuals and their property compassionately as we clean up our parks.”
In January, Hatter issued a preliminary injunction that stopped the city from conducting encampment cleanups.
“Since word of the injunction spread, the number of tents at city parks grew significantly, with very few homeless individuals willing to accept alternative housing solutions,” according to a statement by city officials, who added that “usage of the parks by residents has declined and conditions at many parks has deteriorated.”