Should Citrus Heights Oppose 'Homeless Bill of Rights'?

The Citrus Heights City Council this week could take a stance against a bill proposing a "Bill of Rights" for California's homeless population.

The council on Thursday will consider sending a letter to oppose AB 5, the "Homeless Person's Bill of Rights."

The bill would give homeless people the right to sleep and leave their belongings in public places, and would mandate they have access to bathrooms 24/7.

A Citrus Heights staff report says the city has made it a priority to help the homeless, but AB 5 would cost money and lose revenue. According to the staff report, implementing the bill would lead to:

• Increased operational, maintenance, staffing and utility costs for parks and public property that must be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to allow homeless individuals the “right to rest and sleep in public spaces”;
• Increased patrolling and policing costs associated with the free assembly of individuals on public property; 
• Increased costs of cleaning up public property in order to allow for homeless individuals “the right to set down or leave at rest personal property in public spaces”; and
• Decreased revenue through the rental of public spaces, as a result of individuals not wanting to rent public space with personal property of homeless individuals throughout the public space. 

The law, proposed by State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), has been criticized by the editorial boards of the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times.

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Citrus Heights City Council meeting
7 p.m. Thursday
7117 Greenback Lane

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