National City encampment ban goes into effect

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — A camping ban went into effect in National City Thursday for anyone posted up on city-owned property.

Like many other places in California, National City is taking advantage of a recent Supreme Court ruling on homelessness which allows city and county governments to push people along, even if no shelter beds are available.

In National City, almost everyone on the street will get three warnings before enforcement.

After years of taking the compassionate approach with no tickets or jail time, things are about to change.

Compassion will still rule the day, but the city now has options to enforce the laws.

Now that these camping bans are popping up all over California, large numbers of homeless people are being pushed from one spot to another.

In National City, many of the homeless people live along the freeways which does not fall under their jurisdiction. According to this year’s Point in Time Count , there were more than 170 unsheltered people in National City.

The city also has a new shelter with 162 beds, a shelter that’s half-full but eventually big enough to accommodate more.

Watch the full report by reporter Dan Plante above.

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