HomeMy WebLinkAboutAB718_LtrToChu_20150921Office of the City Council
990 Palm Street. San Luis Obispo CA 93401-3249
805 781 7114
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September 21, 2015
The Honorable Kansen Chu
Member, California State Assembly
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0025
Via FAX: (916) 319 - 2125
RE: AB 718 (Chu) — Removal of Regulatory Authority: Vehicles Used
For Human Habitation
Notice of OPPOSITION
Dear Assembly Member Chu:
On behalf of the City of San Luis Obispo, I write to inform you of our opposition to
AB 718, which would prohibit local agencies from enforcing laws and ordinances, or
otherwise subjecting to civil or criminal penalties, the act of people sleeping or resting in a
lawfully parked motor vehicle.
While a vehicle may be "lawfully parked" in a residential neighborhood or in the
parking lot of a business or public facility, that does not render streets or other vehicle
facilities safe or appropriate for residential occupancy. The issues raised by AB 718 are less
about parking, and more about the use of vehicles for human habitation, including sleeping
and "resting" in front of existing homes and businesses.
City parking locations whether on public or private property - other than
campgrounds - were never intended or designed for residential occupancy. Such uses raise
major issues of sanitation, and compromise the ability of residents to feel secure in their
homes and in the conduct of business activity.
This measure should be rejected. Cities work hard to balance all of the needs of their
communities and residents, housed and unhoused, and there is no "one size fits all" solution
to the complex social and economic issues underlying homelessness. The City of San Luis
Obispo is continually working toward solutions to these complex problems through a variety
of local services and initiatives designed to understand the needs of our local homeless and
vulnerable community members and to focus resources and accountability tools in the
manner we believe best forwards the objectives of ending homelessness in our local
community. Given the complexity of these issues and varying local circumstances, it is
simply counterproductive for the Legislature to attempt to remove local government
discretion and authority to decide how best to protect the public health, safety and welfare of
local residents. These are not easy issues to deal with, but they cannot responsibly be
ignored.
What is most needed at the State and federal level to combat homelessness is funding
for affordable housing, emergency shelters, and supportive social and mental health
services. There are several major pending measures that can help restore funds for
affordable housing and focus state efforts where they will be most impactful; we encourage
legislators to support additional funding for affordable housing and homeless solutions and
to leave local regulation to informed local decision makers.
Because this measure would undermine local authority to protect the public health,
safety and welfare of our residents, we must oppose AB 718 and encourage you to reject
future measures that may similarly seek to limit informed local discretion.
Sincerely,
J Howell Marx
Mayor
cc: San Luis Obispo City Council
State Senator Bill Monning, fax (916) 651 — 4917
State Assembly Member Katcho Achadjian, fax (916) 319-2135
Dave Mullinax, League of California Cities, dmullinax(d)cacities.org
Meg Desmond, League of California Cities, mdesmondgcacities.org