Homeless encampments return to Lompoc riverbed, city council to consider new action

LOMPOC, Calif. - The Lompoc City Council is expected to confront the return of a major problem in the city when it meets Tuesday night at City Hall.

The cash-strapped city spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in 2018 clearing out the lower reaches of the Santa Ynez River that runs through city limits.

Along with the dozens of people evicted, some of whom had lived in the riverbed for years, hundreds of tons of trash and debris along with hundreds of pounds of human waste were removed.

Lompoc Police have routinely patrolled and monitored the riverbed since the massive cleanup operation.

The Lompoc City Council is expected to hear that homeless encampments are returning to the riverbed and growing in number month by month.
Some point to a lack of shelter space and homeless support services in the community.

Others argue these are people who choose to live in the riverbed, regardless of support services and rules of conduct that go with them, that are available.

Aside from the legal issue of trespassing, homeless encampments in the riverbed are a threat to wildlife habitat and clean stormwater runoff into the groundwater basin and ultimately the ocean with the large amount of trash, debris and human waste they create.

They also pose a public safety threat with homeless encampments blamed for starting wildfires and other law enforcement issues.

What happens next will be part of the discussion at the Lompoc City Council meeting Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m.

Also on the agenda, what to do with the open space created with the recent demolition of the old Lompoc Municipal Pool in front of City Hall on Ocean Avenue.