Manteca Plans To Outlaw Homeless Encampments In December With No Plans For Permanent Shelter
MANTECA (CBS13) — The city of Manteca is preparing to outlaw all makeshift housing, and homeless encampments could start coming down in December with no plans to build a permanent homeless shelter.
It's an everyday scene in Manteca while children play in the city's Library Park—several homeless people are hanging out nearby.
"Pushed out, pushed around when you're down," said Mike Spence, who is homeless. "It's a couple bad apples that ruin it for everybody and it's kinda sad."
The city recently voted on new ordinances that would make it illegal to urinate in public or to build encampments on public or private property. They hope is the rules will help stop a growing homeless problem.
"It's not so much the fact of the homeless coming to Manteca," said Chief Nick Obligacion, "it's what they are doing while they are here?"
He says he needs people who live in Manteca to be more proactive about calling police when they witness an infraction, so officers can make arrests.
"I rely on them to make the notification to us so that we can respond and with their help we can address these issues together," he said.
Meanwhile Spence, who has been homeless since June, worries the new rules will make him a target for police.
"Just give us some place to go without getting hassled," he said.
The chief has one goal.
"What I would like to see is if they would all come into compliance then we can all move forward," he said.
The new ordinances would go into effect on Dec. 4.
