Stockton City Council Study Session on Grant Pass Response - August 27, 2024
Stockton City Council Study Session on Grant Pass Response - August 27, 2024
This study session was called to discuss the City of Stockton's response to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which overturned Martin v. Boise and now allows cities to enforce anti-camping ordinances even when shelter beds are insufficient. The meeting focused on the implications for local enforcement, cleanup efforts, diversion programs, and future strategies. No formal action was taken, but staff presented data, survey results, and potential ordinance modifications for council guidance.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Nancy Muniz (community member, nonprofit worker): Supported Grants Pass decision but urged rent control and caps to address root causes of homelessness.
- Fred Sheil (Stand Affordable Housing, Housing Justice Coalition): Noted that 300 new families become homeless monthly; argued housing first works but is slow; called for safe camping/parking funded by general fund; warned that enforcement could push homeless into poorer neighborhoods without complaint capacity.
- Pandora Crowder (resident, Conway Homes resident council): Praised city cleanup efforts but stressed need to engage homeless individuals to understand their needs; shared lived experience of homelessness.
- Pat Barrett: Advocated for safe parking/camping with services so homeless can be found for follow-up; emphasized keeping social networks intact; called for collaboration with county.
- Ruby Lockhart (CEO, Heart to Heart Ministries): Thanked city for building shelters but noted immediate needs for hygiene items and compassion; mentioned children living in encampments.
- Armando Rodriguez (community activist, formerly incarcerated): Expressed nervousness but offered to help as a former offender now trying to be part of the solution.
- John Mendelson (Executive Director, Central Valley Low Income Housing Corporation): Emphasized dignity; reported that permanent housing programs perform well (retention, exit rates) but capacity is insufficient—only 750 households moved to permanent housing in 2023 vs. 6,000+ shelter stays; cited market forces as larger factors.
- Jackie Morales (resident, works with unhoused): Opposed ruling; argued criminalization doesn't address root causes and undermines dignity; urged investment in affordable housing and mental health services.
- Ashley Petrey (currently homeless, mother of six, no criminal record): Shared personal story; claimed belongings were destroyed during cleanups despite promises of 60-day storage; requested compassion and inclusion in solutions.
- Susan Chapel (homeless, disabled): Called for permanent solutions, not temporary shelters; supported controlled camping model from Santa Cruz; noted lack of housing even with vouchers.
- Jessica Velez (Executive Director, Red Rabbit Advocacy): Advocated for transitional options and empowering homeless people; highlighted gaps in service coordination; mentioned 64 empty apartments but tenants can't qualify due to income requirements; called for community-first village model.
- Mitchell Badu (currently homeless): Described broken promises about garbage pickup; expressed frustration with being moved; asked for basic services and respect.
- Bchaung T (homeless): Requested affordable housing, not just soup kitchens and shelters which have rats and roaches; advocated for cheap rooms.
- Wilma Parsons (property owner near Lake Loman Park): Concerned about children's safety near homeless encampments; supported tiny homes with rules and services to restore dignity.
- Jason Weiner (Programs Coordinator, reInvent South Stockton Coalition, Housing Justice Coalition): Opposed increased sweeps; cited survey data: 66% of unsheltered residents come from San Joaquin County; 40% had bad shelter experiences; urged housing-first approach.
- Zonnie Thompson (Housing Justice Project Coordinator, RSSE): Urged trauma-informed approach and collaboration with local organizations.
- Kenneth Huntley (Mayor's task force for people with disabilities, Valley Mountain Regional Center board member): Called for comprehensive plan involving all agencies; opposed moving camps without trust-building.
- Mary Marceli (founder, Showered with Love Mobile Show): Reported 16,000 showers provided; many homeless don't want shelters; supported safe camping/parking in all parts of Stockton.
- Greg Raffeton (homeless, former attorney): Expressed pride in community self-policing; pledged $100 from SSI toward porta-potties; asked for another chance and basic sanitation.
Discussion Items
- City Manager Harry Black opened with context: Supreme Court decision reversed Martin v. Boise, allowing enforcement even without enough shelter beds; Governor Newsom's executive order (N1-24) encourages removal of encampments. He presented a San Joaquin County survey showing 53% strongly agree with the Supreme Court decision, 69.9% support strict enforcement outside safe camping, and 78.6% believe a broad-based coalition is most effective.
- Assistant City Attorney Terren Jones compared Stockton's 2022 Critical Infrastructure Ordinance to Grants Pass's ordinance. Key differences: Stockton allows camping within 30 feet of roads/sidewalks/bike paths (Footnote 1) and requires verification of shelter bed availability before park enforcement (Footnote 2)—both now unnecessary after Grants Pass. Staff proposed potential modifications: removing footnotes, adding broad language (e.g., "any other publicly owned property"), and possibly adding civil exclusion orders. Cautioned that broader language could invite legal challenges.
- Director Chad Reed (Public Works) reported on cleanup costs and operations: 27 large-scale cleanups in 2023 collected 1,329 tons at $163K; contract services handled 1,484 tons at $570K; parks contractor 144 work orders at $214K. The closure of Stockton Recycling in 2024 increased dump time and mileage significantly. Recommended installing a transfer station at the Courtyard ($550K upfront, $275K/year), adding one coordinator position, and increasing contracted services ($300K/year).
- Director Carrie Wright (Economic Development) outlined diversion efforts: Shelter capacity increased 52% since 2019 (1,869 beds countywide); 6,691 households stayed in shelters in 2023; 6% vacancy rate at St. Mary's low-barrier shelter. New projects: Navigation Center (90+ beds, fall 2024), Pathways (220 units/288 beds, winter 2024), HomeKey projects (Calaveras Quarters, Villa de Flor, Satellite Apartments, Park Center). Noted that safe camping/parking had been explored but operator and funding barriers stalled it; now revisiting as an option.
- Chief Stanley McFadden (Police) presented enforcement plan: balanced strategy with outreach, crisis mitigation training (40 hours for all officers), and consistent enforcement. Current enforcement costs $1.5M; new deployment model would add another $1.5M for staffing, overtime, trucks, storage, and shelter costs. Emphasized that enforcement is the last step; no arrests yet except for other violations. Announced upcoming illegal dumping ordinance with higher fines.
- Council members discussed intergovernmental collaboration, need for safe camping/parking, property acquisition challenges, and timing. Councilmember Wright requested that staff bring back options for safe camping/parking and private entity involvement. Councilmember Padilla echoed support. Vice Mayor Warmsley asked about education for vulnerable populations and property storage issues.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes or actions were taken; the session was informational only.
- Staff will return to council within 30 days with:
- Proposed ordinance updates (removing footnotes, broadening enforcement)
- Declaration of a housing and homelessness emergency (cleaning up 2018 and 2023 declarations)
- Budget actions for increased enforcement, cleanup, and diversion costs (estimated additional $2.3 million)
- Development of a "Camping Stat" dashboard for public transparency
- Enforcement will begin with a "Take Back Our Parks" initiative, followed by other critical infrastructure, without waiting for council approval on the emergency declaration.
- The city will pursue intergovernmental coordination with county, state, Caltrans, and federal partners (including Union Pacific Railroad).
- A real estate acquisition strategy has been initiated to identify potential sites for safe camping/parking, with a private broker to avoid price inflation.
- Council members directed staff to explore safe camping/parking options, including church or nonprofit partnerships, and to address codes that may hinder such facilities.
- Chief McFadden confirmed that pets will be accommodated at Pathways and possibly at the Navigation Center; animal shelter renovation will be presented to council on September 10.
Meeting Transcript
Today is August 27th, 2024. City Clerk, please take role. Councilmember Padilla. Present. Councilmember Wright. Present. Councilmember Blauer. Present. Councilmember Lenz is absent. Councilmember Via Padua. Present. Vice Mayor Wormsley is absent. Mayor Lincoln. Present. We have a quorum. Thank you. I want to first and foremost welcome the public and thank you for coming out this morning for this very important subject and discussion. To my right, which is your left if you're facing me. Behind the two screens, uh, there are refreshments and light snacks for the public. If you would like to help yourself, please do so at any point during the meeting today. I also want to say thank you to my council colleagues, uh, City Manager Black, uh, City Staff, Stockton Police Department, Fire Department, Public Works, Economic Development, all of our homeless advocates throughout the community, and the community as a whole. These have been difficult times from the COVID pandemic to inflation. Over the past four years, the City of Stockton has partnered and has built 10 emergency shelter projects, nine permanent supportive housing projects, and four affordable housing projects. Upon completion, these projects will add more than 600 beds and 862 housing units for individuals and for families. We have launched the CARELINK Crisis Intervention Mobile Response Program with our partner community medical center. Over 6,000 people have received critical services and resources while experiencing some sort of behavioral health crisis. We have expended every resource available to us and have intentionally invested time into building relationships with those living in our homeless encampments in Stockton, offering access to shelter and resources. Despite incredible progress, our hands have been tied when it comes to enforcing our local ordinances and getting people into the services they need to receive healing. The Supreme, the recent Supreme Court ruling on grants pass. B. Johnson provides us with the much needed authority to enforce encamp camping ordinances and bring individuals and families into available shelter, housing, and services, helping them transition to self-independence. We will continue, excuse me, we will continue to build on our foundation of providing healing and housing for the homeless while maintaining safe public spaces for our whole community. At this time, I would I'm gonna open the floor for public comments for the public. If you're if you're not uh aware yet, uh there is a podium there. Uh there is some uh blue request to speak cards. Um if you would like to speak, please fill one of those cards out and turn it in, and we'll make sure that you have an opportunity to share your public uh opinion. Um I will remind the public that uh you will have every person who will have one three-minute opportunity to provide a public comment uh this morning. Uh with that being said, the public public comments uh have to uh be specifically for uh the topic of discussion today and what the item that has been agendized. Um outside of that uh will be prohibited from sharing that comment during this meeting. You have to wait for one of our next regular scheduled city council meetings. Um so without further ado, um, City Clerk, do we have any public comments this morning? We do, Mayor. Can I have Nancy Moonis to the podium, please? Good morning. Uh my name is Nancy Munice. I am a community member, and I've worked in uh several nonprofits throughout Sawakin County, and I just wanted to speak on the homelessness issue. I agree with grant's pass in regards to local city officials uh enacting some sort of ordinance or policy surrounding um homelessness. I am mindful of the community uh nonprofits, local nonprofits, several directors here and executives have wrote very great programs to continually fund the issue surrounding our homelessness crisis. But I wanted to suggest that our local decision makers please be mindful of the need of uh a rent control or caps into some sort of policy surrounding the need to control these rents because that's an issue, regardless of how many units we have, how many uh funding we give to our our shelters and our nonprofits that are helping the homelessness crisis. There's still vacant units out here in San Joaquin County throughout the state of California, and it is a housing crisis, and we need to enact some sort of ordinance.
openpublica.com