Good afternoon. My name is Anjleena Kour Sahni. I am the advancing racial & economic justice policy advocate at the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties (ACLU-SDIC).
I urge you to oppose both camping ban options presented today and instead repeal the county’s current camping ban ordinance.
The county has declared a housing crisis and is fully aware there are not enough shelter beds to meet the current need in our region. It's clear that any camping ban policy at this time—regardless of what amendments might be added—cannot be designed to effectively connect people with resources and shelter beds.
Camping bans force people who are experiencing homelessness to move around, lose essential items, and face criminalization and potential incarceration.
Criminal law is not a fire prevention strategy and camping bans only serve to hide, not solve or even treat, the deeper issues driving homelessness.
We ask you to reject criminalization and prioritize long-term solutions like Housing First.
The ACLU-SDIC urges you to make the strategic, humane choice. The county should treat people experiencing homelessness with the dignity and respect we all deserve by implementing proven solutions. We urge you to vote against this board letter and instead to repeal the county’s existing camping ban. Thank you for your time.
