Palo Alto Approves Ban on Vehicle Dwelling

The City Council of Palo Alto voted to prohibit the human habitation of vehicles with a 7-2 vote on Monday night.

"What we are doing tonight is the hardest of balancing acts," said Councilwoman Liz Kniss, chair of the Policy and Services Committee, which directed city staff to draft the ordinance. "We are trying to take care of the needs of some of the most vulnerable in the community and address the safety concerns of residents."

The two votes against came from Councilman Marc Berman and Councilwoman Karen Holman both who supported an amendment by Councilman Pat Burt to commit the city to further analyze how to help the homeless in Palo Alto. Burt's amendment failed 3 votes to 6. Burt then joined the majority to approve the ordinance.

After the vote, which occurred about 11:40 p.m., some members in the audience applauded while some others jeered the word "shame."  

With this vote, Palo Alto joins other cities in the Bay Area with restrictions on people living in their vehicles and therefore might stop being a "magnet" for the homeless.

"Cubberly was not intended to be a de facto homeless shelter," said Councilman Larry Klein, about the community center in the Green Meadow neighborhood, which became ground zero of the recent debate. Klein shared that he visited Cubberly on Sunday night Aug. 4 between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. with Palo Alto Police Officers and out of 27 parked vehicles, only one had a Palo Alto registration.

Many Green Meadow residents spoke before city council in favor of the ban because they felt unsafe for themselves and their children. One woman said a man "flash" or indecently exposed himself to her. 

"There's been such a dramatic increase [in vehicle dwellers] in such a short period of time," he said. "We don't want Palo Alto to be a magnet."

While the law in Palo Alto would go into effect within 31 days, the ban will start to be enforced after six months to allow time for outreach and transition, according to City Attorney Molly Stump. 

Vice Mayor Nancy Shepherd had Stump clarify and explain the potential penalties—a misdemeanor charge that could include a maximum of six months in jail and $1,000 fine. However, that's "envisioned as a last resort," Stump said. First the city would refer the person to social service agencies.

"I'm scared," said Diane Jones, 49, who lives in a Honda at the Cubberly Community Center with her 23-year-old son and a 19-year-old girl she cares for. Jones became homeless in 2008 and has a fixed income of $1,200 in Social Security Disability. "This ordinance will force us to just move around all night."

Another vehicle dweller, 75-year-old Paul Mitchell, said that living his vehicle was a lifestyle choice. The six months would give him some time to figure out what he was going to do.

"If I have to give up Palo Alto, I will," he said. "Even after 20 years."