July 3, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

LA City Council Set to Vote on Car Camping Ban

Update: July 30, 2019 – Los Angeles City Council voted today to reinstate the ban on overnight dwelling in cars. Find out more HERE.

Sleeping in vehicles remains legal in City of Los Angeles

By Kai McNamee

A Los Angeles City Council ordinance limiting overnight parking to certain areas expired on July 1 and is yet to be renewed. Until the ordinance is renewed, car camping — a common alternative to permanent housing for homeless individuals — is allowed wherever it is in compliance with posted street parking restrictions. 

Passed in November 2016 and adopted early 2017, the ordinance amended Los Angeles Municipal Code 85.02 to restrict overnight vehicle camping to non-residential streets. The law also banned vehicle camping within a one-block radius of schools and parks at all times of the day. 

The original ordinance was scheduled to expire on July 1, 2018, but City Council passed two six month extensions to push the expiration of the ordinance to July 1, 2019. 

One June 11, 2019, City Council passed a motion to extend the ordinance again. The motion, which requested the City Attorney to draft a bill for the council to vote on, passed with no opposing votes. The third six-month extension is expected to be voted on at the July 30 City Council meeting. 

Mark Ryavec, the president of the Venice Stakeholders Association, is worried that the expiration of the ordinance will have “dire” implications. “This inaction by the Council is an invitation for anyone and everyone to come to Los Angeles to live in their vehicles, dump their sewage and trash on our streets, and displace even more residents from nearby street parking,” Ryavec wrote in an article on the VSA website. 

The conversation around street camping has recently been stoked by Venice’s “Vanlord,” Gary Gallerie. Gallerie owns 14 vans that he rents to homeless tenants for $300 per month. The vans, which are parked on streets throughout Venice, give tenants an affordable alternative to living on the street. Gallerie told CBS News that he doesn’t plan on moving the vans. “Ask anybody that complains what have they done to help the homeless get housed,” Galleri said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Since the 2019 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count showed a 12 percent county-wide increase in homelessness, local legislators have been working to find alternative solutions to the region’s homeless crisis. 

LA’s 2019-2020 budget is set to fund the creation of 6 new Safe Parking sites; along with 5 existing locations, the new Safe Parking sites aim to offer safe and secure locations for homeless individuals living in their vehicles. According to the Safe Parking program’s website, vehicle dwellers account for over 25 percent of Los Angeles’s homeless population.

Historically, LA’s laws banning public camping have been steeped in legal controversy. Prior to the 2016 ordinance amending the code, LAMC 85.02 banned individuals from using vehicles as “living quarters, either overnight, day-by-day, or otherwise” on any city street. But in Desertrain v. The City of Los Angeles, the Ninth Circuit of Appeals decided in 2014 that LAMC 85.02 was “unconstitutionally vague” and promoted “arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.”

Similarly, advocates for the homeless have rallied behind the 2018 Martin v. City of Boise decision, which prohibits cities from passing and enforcing public camping bans when there is a lack of housing to shelter its homeless population. 

In Santa Monica, there is no rule specifically prohibiting an individual from sleeping in their car. Santa Monica Municipal Code 4.08.095 prohibits camping in public places but does not make mention of vehicles. In addition, Santa Monica Municipal Code 3.12.990 states “Any vehicle which had been parked or left standing on any street, alley or public way for a period longer than 72 consecutive hours may be removed,” but does not outlaw sleeping in a vehicle.

in News
<>Related Posts

Santa Monica Public Library Launches Community Mapping Survey

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

The initiative aims to shape the library’s programs and services to better meet community needs, fostering an inclusive and accessible...

Third Street Promenade Loses Bibibop Asian Grill

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Bibibop opened at the Santa Monica location in 2017 after taking over a former ShopHouse space Bibibop Asian Grill, a...

Proposed Rebuilding Authority for Wildfire Recovery Sparks Local Control Debate

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Plan Aims to Streamline Rebuilding but Raises Questions Over Community Input A proposed “Resilient Rebuilding Authority” to oversee recovery from...

Pentagon Orders Troop Drawdown in LA: 150 National Guard Members Reassigned to Wildfire Duty

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Federal Forces Begin Partial Withdrawal From Protest Response as California Leaders Push Back U.S. Northern Command announced Tuesday that 150 National Guard...

(Video) ‘World’s Strongest Man’ Champion Pulls Big Blue Bus for 30 feet

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

World-class strongman Martins Licis pulled a 34,680‑pound, 35-feet long, battery electric bus through the Pier to set off Pier 360...

California Highway Patrol Deploys for Independence Day Enforcement Surge

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

All Available Officers to Hit California Highways for Holiday Weekend As Californians gear up for Fourth of July festivities, the...

Court Postpones Arraignment for Driver in Malibu Crash That Killed Four Students

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Fraser Michael Bohm Faces Murder Charges in Fatal PCH Wreck  The arraignment for Fraser Michael Bohm, the 23-year-old man accused...

More Commercial Uses Could Be Coming to RAND Building

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Amendment Unlocks New Opportunities, Secures $5.5 Million in Community Benefits The Santa Monica Planning Commission unanimously approved an amendment to...

People are Using Palisades for “Disaster Tours.” Local Officials Are Trying to Stop Them

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

A new motion introduced to City Council requests a coordinated strategy from LADOT, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the...

Santa Monica Favorite Esters Rebrands as Esters Wine Shop & Oyster Bar

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

New Concept Launches With French-Spanish Flair and Free Bubbles Esters Wine Shop, the fave Parisian-style wine bar in downtown Santa...

Letter to the Editor: Santa Monica’s Great Park: It’s Time to Deliver on 100 Years of Promise

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

Santa Monica stands at the edge of history. For nearly a century, residents have consistently supported turning the airport land...

Why Nordstrom Says It’s Closing Its Santa Monica Place Location

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

A Nordstrom spokesperson explained the closure as a strategic realignment Nordstrom confirmed its decision to close its Santa Monica store...

Three-Bed Palisades Highlands Townhouse Hits Market for $1.7M

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

The Mediterranean-style property, located at 1529 Michael Lane, is part of a 71-unit community A remodeled 1,919-square-foot townhouse in the...

Six-Bed Mar Vista Hilltop Home Under Construction Lists for $5.3M

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

The private backyard is complete with a pool, spa, fire pit, built-in BBQ, and areas for outdoor dining A stunning...

(Video) Getty Villa Reopens Six Months After Dodging Destruction of Palisades Wildfires

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

With the reopening also comes a new exhibit, “The Kingdom of Pylos” Getty Villa Reopens Six Months After Dodging Destruction...