L.A. City Council removes 12 homeless enforcement zones under 41.18
LA Council removes 12 anti-camping zones
The Los Angeles City Council voted 10-3 to remove 12 additional 41.18 enforcement zones in Council District 13. Supporters said the move will prioritize outreach and housing, while opponents raised public safety and quality-of-life concerns.
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to remove 12 designated enforcement zones under the city's controversial 41.18 anti-camping law, a move supporters say will allow the city to focus more on outreach and housing but opponents warn could create new public safety and quality-of-life concerns.
What we know:
The 10-3 vote removes the additional 41.18 zones in Hollywood, Silver Lake and Echo Park within Council District 13, represented by Council member Hugo Soto-Martínez.
Soto-Martínez called the vote a significant moment for his district and said he believes the enforcement zones have hindered efforts to get people into housing.
"This is an important moment for my office and me. As far as I know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a 41.18 zone being removed," Soto-Martínez told the council.
In a statement to FOX 11, Soto-Martínez said his office's approach has produced significant progress.
"Over the past three years, our office has made historic progress in reducing homelessness across the district by focusing on outreach, housing and services," he said.
Soto-Martínez said the district's data and outreach led his office to conclude that some 41.18 zones were counterproductive.
"We have always believed that these zones are counterproductive to the work we are doing, and now we have the data and have done the outreach necessary to back that up," he said.
He compared the move to the decision to remove the fence around Echo Park Lake, saying a "measured and community-focused approach" could produce long-term results.
Padilla opposes the move
Council member Imelda Padilla was among three council members who voted against removing the zones.
"I think 41.18 is one of the tools we need in the city of Los Angeles because it makes sense," Padilla told FOX 11.
Padilla said she has sought 41.18 zones in her own district and accused Soto-Martínez of generally voting against those requests.
"I have asked for 41.18 zones in my district. He generally votes no. I saw this as an opportunity to treat your colleagues as you wish to be treated," she said.
Padilla also defended the use of 41.18 around parks and areas where children are present.
"When I put up a 41.18 zone to protect the parks and to protect kids, it’s for a reason," Padilla said during the council meeting.
She said she is particularly concerned that Tuesday's decision could encourage other council members to remove existing zones.
"It worries me to the extent I don’t want to see other council members rescind this," Padilla told FOX 11.
What happens at the street level?
FOX 11 visited one of the 12 locations near the 101 Freeway in Silver Lake and observed people camping near a posted 41.18 sign.
Jez, who works at a restaurant near the location, questioned whether the restriction had been consistently enforced.
"No, I don’t think so because they’ve been gone for like a month before, last year, but they came back," the person said.
According to Jez, they wonder how the decision will impact safety, especially at night.
"There’s people hanging out around the area. Don’t feel good about us going home at night," Jez said.
Some people living on the street also expressed concerns about what could happen next.
After being told about the council's decision, one woman said, "Good luck on that. It’s going to turn into Skid Row. Going to turn into another bad area. It’s not getting any better."
Jurado signals broader review
The vote comes as Council member Ysabel Jurado takes over as chair of the city's Homelessness and Health Committee.
Jurado said 41.18 should be viewed as only one part of a much larger homelessness strategy.
"41.18 is just one piece of a much larger conversation about how Los Angeles responds to homelessness, and no single policy can substitute for a comprehensive strategy that actually helps people become and remain housed," Jurado said.
She also acknowledged that conditions vary from location to location, including public safety, accessibility, neighborhood impacts, available services and whether housing options exist.
Jurado said she is prepared to examine the policy and its results.
"As chair of the Homelessness and Health Committee, I am open to a serious and transparent conversation about how 41.18 is being used, what results it is producing and what its future should be," she said.
"Our backs are against the wall, and this moment requires honest dialogue and difficult decisions," Jurado said.
She said the committee will examine "what is working, what is not and who is accountable."
Jurado also said Angelenos should expect a "housing-led, public-health approach" that addresses legitimate safety and access concerns while recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
The vote does not repeal 41.18 citywide. It removes the 12 additional discretionary enforcement zones covered by Tuesday's action.
But with council members now openly debating whether those zones actually work – and Jurado promising a closer examination of the policy – Tuesday's vote could be the beginning of a much larger fight over how Los Angeles responds to homelessness.