City of Goleta Administrative Citations, Encampments, and Vehicular Camping Ordinance

The City of Goleta is amending its municipal code to reform policies surrounding encampments, vehicle dwelling, and administrative citations, shifting from a punitive enforcement model to one centered on service provision and legal alignment with state law. Key changes include eliminating the requirement that staff confirm adequate shelter availability before enforcing regulations on encampments or vehicle dwellings, replacing it with a mandate to make reasonable efforts to offer services such as housing assistance or outreach. The ordinance now provides clearer definitions of what constitutes dwelling in a vehicle and removes the city’s authority to tow vehicles parked on public streets for more than 72 hours if used as a residence. These amendments are designed to reduce criminalization of homelessness and comply with evolving state legal standards regarding the rights of unhoused individuals. Cost recovery and fee award provisions for administrative citations are updated to reflect state law, ensuring consistency in how legal costs and attorney fees are handled in enforcement actions. The changes are implemented through revisions to Goleta Municipal Code Chapters 1.02, 2.02, 10.04, and 12.01, with no new contract or procurement process established—this is a regulatory and policy action, not a federal or competitive acquisition. The ordinance was issued as a forecast under the City of Goleta’s administrative authority, and a CEQA exemption was determined based on categorical exclusions for minor regulatory adjustments with no significant environmental impact. The place of performance is citywide within Goleta, California, with all enforcement and administrative actions occurring under the jurisdiction of the city. The primary point of contact is Blake Markum, Management Analyst, and correspondence regarding the change is directed to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors in Santa Barbara. There is no contract value, purchasing instrument, or federal acquisition regulation clause structure involved, as this is purely a local legislative update aimed at aligning city practices with state legal obligations and humanitarian approaches to homelessness.