Los Angeles has rescinded 12 Anti-Camping Zones in Council District 13 after a 10-3 City Council vote on Aug. 18. The action affects locations in Hollywood, Silver Lake and Echo Park but leaves Section 41.18 in force elsewhere. The change puts renewed focus on how the city balances public-space enforcement, outreach and housing.
Key Takeaways
- The Los Angeles City Council voted 10-3, to rescind 12 designated Anti-Camping Zones in Council District 13.
- The affected locations are in Hollywood, Silver Lake and Echo Park.
- Section 41.18 remains in effect elsewhere in Los Angeles, including restrictions within 500 feet of schools and day-care centers.
- Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez supported removing the zones as part of his district’s emphasis on outreach, services and housing.
- A 2024 city review estimated at least $3 million was spent implementing Section 41.18 from September 2021 through December 2023.
Anti-Camping Zones Removed After 10-3 Council Vote
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday, Aug. 18, to remove 12 designated Anti-Camping Zones established under Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 41.18. All of the affected locations are in Council District 13, represented by Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez.
The vote was 10-3. Councilmembers Imelda Padilla, Traci Park and Monica Rodriguez opposed the measure. The rescinded zones include locations around underpasses in Silver Lake and Echo Park and 101 Freeway overpasses in Hollywood.
The change is significant because it reverses specific location-based restrictions rather than adding new ones. Soto-Martínez told the council that he believed it was the first effort to remove existing Section 41.18 zones.
His central argument focused on whether repeatedly moving unhoused residents makes it harder for outreach workers to maintain contact and connect people with available services or housing.
“Displacing our neighbors from block to block, or in many cases from district to district, doesn’t help them find housing,” Soto-Martínez said.
The council member said the district’s approach has placed greater emphasis on outreach and housing rather than relying on the designated zones. Los Angeles is simultaneously managing broader questions about temporary and permanent housing, including challenges associated with the city’s Inside Safe homelessness program.
Section 41.18 Remains in Force Across Los Angeles
The council action does not repeal Section 41.18 citywide. Instead, it removes 12 discretionary zones previously designated within one council district.
The current municipal code still prohibits sitting, lying, sleeping or storing personal property in ways that obstruct certain public rights-of-way. Restrictions remain around locations including operational driveways, building entrances, fire hydrants, streets and bike lanes under circumstances specified by the code.
Section 41.18 also allows the City Council to designate restrictions around certain parks, libraries, overpasses, underpasses, freeway ramps, bridges and other specified locations. For these discretionary areas, the council must adopt a resolution, signs must be posted and at least 14 calendar days must pass before enforcement begins.
A separate provision prohibits sitting, lying, sleeping or storing personal property within 500 feet of a school or day-care center. That restriction was not affected by the District 13 vote.
The distinction limits the scope of the Aug. 18 decision. Los Angeles did not eliminate its anti-camping ordinance. The council rescinded 12 location-specific designations while leaving the broader legal framework intact.
City Data Adds Pressure to the Enforcement Debate
The debate over Anti-Camping Zones predates the District 13 vote. A 2024 review by the city’s Chief Legislative Analyst examined Section 41.18 implementation using information from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and other city agencies.
According to the review, service providers engaged 174 encampments involving 1,856 people. Of those individuals, 313 entered interim housing and two entered permanent housing, resulting in an overall placement rate of approximately 17 percent.
LAHSA reported that 81 percent of encampment sites experienced some repopulation. A separate individual-level analysis found an average return rate of 39 percent across the 174 locations, meaning the two measures described different aspects of people returning to cleared sites.
The Chief Legislative Analyst also estimated that Los Angeles spent approximately $3 million implementing the ordinance between September 2021 and December 2023.
“The $3 million figure represents a minimum estimate,” Chief Legislative Analyst Sharon Tso wrote, noting that some departments could not isolate all Section 41.18-related labor costs from broader departmental expenses.
Those figures do not establish that Section 41.18 itself was intended to function as a housing program. The city review examined implementation costs and outcomes connected to enforcement, while the ordinance primarily regulates where sitting, sleeping and storing property may occur.
The wider homelessness response also extends beyond encampment restrictions. Los Angeles County has pursued street-level mental health care for unhoused residents through mobile services, illustrating how enforcement, health care, shelter and housing operate as separate parts of the regional response.
District 13 Shifts Toward Outreach and Housing
Soto-Martínez’s office has framed the removal as part of a district-level strategy focused on maintaining contact between unhoused residents and service providers. Before the council vote, staff and volunteers conducted community outreach related to the proposal.
A spokesperson for the council member told LA Public Press that staff and volunteers knocked on more than 2,500 doors and distributed 10,000 mailers. The office said most respondents either supported the removal or did not oppose it. That characterization represents the council office’s account of its outreach rather than a citywide public survey.
Opponents of the change emphasized a different concern. Padilla and other council members have described Section 41.18 as one tool for maintaining access to parks and other public spaces. Park has also argued that designated restrictions can help prevent encampments from returning after services or shelter placements are offered.
The Aug. 18 decision therefore changes how one Los Angeles district plans to handle 12 specific locations without setting the same approach for every council district. Section 41.18 remains available under city law, while the removed Anti-Camping Zones mark a narrower change in how District 13 is balancing enforcement with outreach and housing efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Los Angeles City Council change?
The council voted 10-3 on Aug. 18, 2026, to rescind 12 designated enforcement zones under Section 41.18 in Council District 13. The affected sites are located in Hollywood, Silver Lake and Echo Park.
Did Los Angeles repeal its anti-camping law?
No. Section 41.18 remains part of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, and restrictions outside the 12 rescinded locations remain in force.
Where were the Anti-Camping Zones removed?
The Anti-Camping Zones removed by the council were all located in Council District 13. Reporting identified affected locations in Hollywood, Silver Lake and Echo Park, including some freeway overpasses and underpasses.
Do restrictions near schools and day-care centers still apply?
Yes. Section 41.18 continues to prohibit sitting, lying, sleeping or storing personal property within 500 feet of schools and day-care centers. The Aug. 18 action did not repeal that provision.
Why did District 13 seek to remove the zones?
Soto-Martínez said the designated zones could make it more difficult for outreach workers to remain connected with unhoused residents and help them reach housing. Opponents maintained that the restrictions remain useful for preserving access to public spaces.
