New San Mateo County ordinance could force homeless people to relocate to shelter beds

The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has unanimously voted to introduce an ordinance to curtail homeless encampments on public property in unincorporated areas of the county at its regular meeting, over the objections of several public commenters who said the move would effectively criminalize homelessness. 

The ordinance introduced Tuesday makes refusing to leave an encampment a misdemeanor after two warnings, but it cannot be enforced unless a shelter bed is available and has been declined, which is in line with the law which states that an unhoused person cannot be criminally charged for taking up public space if no shelter is made available to them.