New data from L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia’s office shows a sharp jump in arrests this year under the city's anti-camping ordinance, with one council district disproportionately standing out.
L.A. Municipal Code 41.18 bans sitting, lying, sleeping, or keeping personal property within 500 feet of “sensitive” facilities, including schools, parks and libraries.
From the start of this year through Sep. 15, 1,582 arrests were made under the ordinance. That’s more arrests so far this year than in all of 2021 and 2022 combined.
Nearly half of the 2023 arrests have been in Councilmember John Lee’s district in the northwest San Fernando Valley, even though it has one the smallest populations of unsheltered people. That's 836 arrests in District 12, which is more than three times as many as the second-highest district, Council District 1, represented by Eunisses Hernandez.
The numbers come from data released this week by Mejia's office.
“CD 12 also stands out in particular because it has the most arrests, but also the least amount of homelessness,” said Jane Nguyen, the controller’s chief of staff.
The latest available data show 944 unsheltered people living in District 12. For comparison, 2,570 unsheltered people live in District 1.
Mejia said in a social media post the ordinance is unevenly enforced because council members have the power to pass resolutions targeting specific areas in their districts. Those enforcement areas would ultimately have to be approved by the full City Council, but Nguyen said they typically defer to the councilmember for each district.
In a statement to LAist, Lee’s spokesperson said the council member was one of the original supporters of the ordinance and that he believes it only works if enforcement is consistent.
“Councilmember Lee has exercised discretion in establishing 41.18 zones around housing solutions, sensitive use areas, and areas with public safety concerns,” the statement added. “We always lead with multiple attempts at outreach and education, and 41.18 is but one tool.”
The controller’s office said it questions if the ordinance is helping tackle homelessness as intended. While arrests and enforcement have increased over the past few years, so has the unhoused population.
“I think evidence points to it not being an effective tool in solving homelessness whatsoever,” Nguyen said.
