Correction: This story has been updated to correct that the city of Carlsbad has only one shelter and it’s for men.
Carlsbad is moving forward with new rules that ban people from living in their vehicles on public property.
It’s the latest North County city to crackdown on homelessness. The other is San Marcos, which adopted a public camping ban last year.
The new bans follow a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave cities more power to crack down on homeless encampments regardless of shelter availability.
The decision empowered many cities throughout San Diego County to either adopt new homeless camping bans or update their existing ones.
Most cities who have updated their public camping regulations, like Oceanside or Vista, have at least one homeless shelter operating in their respective cities, although most shelters throughout North County are full and often have long waiting lists.
A couple of cities, though, have moved forward with public camping restrictions despite criticism from residents who say city leaders should offer more alternatives for homeless people.
Carlsbad’s Ban on Living in Vehicles
Earlier this month, Carlsbad’s City Council expanded its public camping ban to include people living in their vehicles with no plans to create safe parking options.
Carlsbad Police Chief Christie Calderwood said at a March 18 Council meeting that the ordinance is another “tool” that officers can use to get people to accept the services they need. Residents and nonprofit leaders urged the Council to first start a safe parking program before implementing the ban. City leaders moved forward, anyway.
Safe parking programs are parking lots where homeless individuals and families can safely stay in their vehicles overnight. Many safe parking programs also provide bathrooms, handwashing stations, hygiene supplies, food and case management services.
Carlsbad has one shelter for men.
City spokesperson Sarah Lemons told me the city is using a “compassionate enforcement approach,” where warnings and citations will only be issued to individuals living in vehicles if shelter is available and individuals refuse the offer of shelter.
“The city will not issue citations to people or households living in vehicles who are actively engaging in services to end their homelessness,” she said.
She added that Carlsbad has received a $3 million Encampment Resolution Funding grant from the state to provide services and housing navigation support specifically for people living in their vehicles. The city also offers a limited-stay motel voucher program, which provides vouchers for a temporary motel stay if other shelter is not available.
One concern brought up by residents at the recent Council meeting is the possibility of this ordinance driving people to neighboring cities to use their safe parking programs. Encinitas, Vista and Oceanside have the only three safe parking lots in North County.
“The city maintains a ‘by-name’ list with data from the regional Homeless Management Information System, which tracks individuals the city engages with and those enrolled in services in Carlsbad. Through this, the city will be able to track if an individual accepts services at a neighboring city, including a safe parking lot,” Lemons said.
The city’s ban on living in vehicles in public will take effect next month. Lemons told Voice there are no current plans for a safe parking program in Carlsbad.
A Closer Look at San Marcos
Last year, about a month after the Supreme Court ruling, San Marcos adopted new rules that ban camping in public regardless of shelter availability. There are currently no homeless shelters in San Marcos, and according to city staff, the city does not have plans to open a shelter or contract with a service provider to open one.
San Marcos had 35 unsheltered homeless people during last year’s point-in-time count, up from just two unsheltered homeless people in 2023. The numbers from the 2025 count are not yet available.
Kristina Ray, a city spokesperson, told me that the city’s approach has focused primarily on addressing permanent housing resources. The anti-camping ordinance is focused on addressing fire risk, water quality and other environmental concerns to comply with state storm water regulations, she said.
“For example, when we become aware of someone camping along San Marcos Creek, the first step is for a county outreach team to make contact and provide case management, medical care and other services that might be needed,” Ray said. “To date, everyone has moved voluntarily or been placed in shelters through the regional shelter network, so enforcement hasn’t been needed. We then clean up trash and other waste left behind.”
She added that the city does contribute $120,000 annually toward the Alliance for Regional Solutions, a network of eight North County cities that collectively contribute funding to homeless shelters in that part of the region. City officials can refer homeless people to those shelters.
North County nonprofit Interfaith Community Services has proposed opening a 150-bed Recovery and Wellness Campus in San Marcos for substance abuse treatment, but funding for the project currently depends on a state grant that has not yet been allocated.
In Other News
- Oceanside’s Planning Commission has unanimously recommended the City Council approve necessary amendments to make way for the city’s first four walk-in retail cannabis shops. (Union-Tribune)
- Encinitas Mayor Bruce Ehlers recently delivered his first State of the City address and said his administration would prioritize infrastructure, local control over land use decisions and homelessness. (Coast News)
- Students and faculty at Cal State San Marcos walked out of classes on Monday to protest what they describe as a crackdown on student activists in the California State University system. (KPBS)