RivCo Homeless Encampment Sweep Is Coming: What To Know

BANNING, CA — The City of Banning is taking a stricter stance on homeless encampments, said Lt. Brandon Smith of the Banning Police Department in a recent news release.

"We are making a stronger enforcement of camping-related violations in the City of Banning," he shared over email. According to Smith, officials focus on public peace, morals and welfare this week, particularly those associated with unlawful camping.

The Banning Police Department will work with city code compliance officers and the Banning Public Works Streets departments to start strictly enforcing local laws. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that California cities could outlaw sleeping in public spaces.

In the past, the Banning-area homeless have been filtered towards Opportunity Village, a series of pallet-sized temporary homes on the I-10 freeway. The Pallet Home units are 64 square feet and built for double occupancy. The tiny homes are durable, insulated and "a proven stepping stone to permanent housing," according to the builder's website — each structure has two-person folding beds, air conditioning, and electricity. The community has a separate shower, laundry, bathroom/shower structure, and 24/7 security.

"We understand the city has seen a rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness," Smith said. "We are committed to assisting these individuals to better their situations by strengthening the public peace and welfare for all citizens and visitors."

Last year's Supreme Court decision greatly affects cities on the West Coast, where shelter space is in short supply, and where the number of homeless people in the country is rising. The case is the most significant to come before the high court in decades on the issue and comes as a rising number of people in the U.S. are without a permanent place to live.

About a third of the homeless population in the United States is in California.

The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, reversed a ruling by a San Francisco-based appeals court that found outdoor sleeping bans amount to cruel and unusual punishment. The majority's ruling found the 8th Amendment does not apply to outdoor sleeping bans.

"Homelessness is complex. Its causes are many. So maybe the public policy responses required to address it," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority. "A handful of federal judges cannot begin to `match' the collective wisdom the American people possess in deciding `how best to handle' a pressing social question like homelessness."

Related:

• CA Can Ban Homeless Encampments, Supreme Court Rules
• Sound Wall To Block Banning's Opportunity Village From I-10 Travelers
• Homeless Relocated To Opportunity Village, Banning Encampment Cleanup