{"id":2402038,"date":"2025-02-12T18:38:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T23:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fremont-california-could-jail-people-for-abetting-homeless-people-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T18:39:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T23:39:24","slug":"fremont-california-could-jail-people-for-abetting-homeless-people-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fremont-california-could-jail-people-for-abetting-homeless-people-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Fremont, California, could jail people for &#8216;abetting&#8217; homeless people &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffremont-california-could-jail-people-for-abetting-homeless-people-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2402038&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The\u2064 city of Fremont in the Bay Area\u200c has passed a\u2062 controversial ordinance \u2063that makes it illegal for individuals to &#8220;aid and abet&#8221; homeless \u2064encampments on public\u200d property. The City Council voted 6-1\u200d to impose penalties on anyone deemed responsible for causing or assisting \u200cin \u200bthe establishment of such encampments. Violations could led to misdemeanor charges, \u200bresulting in up to six months in jail or a $1,000\u2063 fine, making Fremont the first U.S. city\u2064 to legislate against aiding homeless individuals \u2064in this manner.<\/p>\n<p>Homeless advocates, \u2062including \u2063organizations\u2063 like Abode Services, express concern that the broadly defined terms of &#8220;aiding&#8221; and &#8220;abetting&#8221; could criminalize the provision of essential items like tents and sleeping bags to unhoused individuals.While the city attorney \u2062and the \u200dmayor suggest\u2062 that the ordinance is aimed \u2064at \u2063preventing the \u200cconstruction of unsafe structures by vigilantes,ambiguity remains about how\u2064 the law\u2064 might be \u2063enforced. Some worry it may deter humanitarian \u2063efforts, as the specifics\u200c of lawful assistance are not well-defined.<\/p>\n<p>this ordinance comes in the wake of\u2064 a Supreme Court ruling allowing\u200d cities to prohibit camping and encampments on public property,\u200c contributing to a trend where around 150 cities have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ron-desantis-gop-must-fight-left-wing-cultural-marxism-or-die\/\" title=\"Ron DeSantis: GOP Must Fight Left-Wing \u2018Cultural Marxism\u2019 Or Die\">enacted similar laws<\/a>, particularly\u2062 in California.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Californians in Bay Area city could be jailed for &lsquo;aiding and abetting&rsquo; homeless people<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1722113\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Bay Area city<\/a> passed a new ordinance making it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/crime\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">illegal<\/a> for individuals to &ldquo;aid and abet&rdquo; people in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/homelessness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">homeless<\/a> encampments on public property.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The Fremont City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday to enact a penalty on individuals &ldquo;causing, permitting, aiding, abetting or concealing&rdquo; a homeless encampment. Those found guilty of a misdemeanor could be jailed for up to six months or face a $1,000 fine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The ordinance makes Fremont the first city in the United States to penalize a person or organization for &ldquo;aiding and abetting&rdquo; a homeless person.<\/p>\n<p>Advocates for the homeless, such as Abode Services, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-house-republicans-call-for-answers-from-texas-elections-administrator-over-private-funding-for-elections\/\" title=\"EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Call For Answers From Texas Elections Administrator Over Private Funding For Elections\">local nonprofit organization<\/a>, are worried that they could be penalized for providing the unhoused with basic living necessities such as sleeping bags and tents, given the vague definitions of &ldquo;aiding&rdquo; and &ldquo;abetting.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Vivian Wan, the group&rsquo;s CEO, fears the city may pressure her team to divulge where homeless encampments are located.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The job&rsquo;s hard enough,&rdquo; Wan <a href=\"https:\/\/calmatters.org\/housing\/homelessness\/2025\/02\/fremont-ordinance-aid-abet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">told<\/a> <em>CalMatters<\/em>. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t imagine doing the hard work that&rsquo;s both physically and emotionally draining and then also have to be worried about your own legal liability. It&rsquo;s incredibly frustrating.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Fremont city attorney Rafael Alvarado Jr. tried to calm concerns during Tuesday&rsquo;s meeting by saying the punishment would not come from providing assistance such as food or clothing. <\/p>\n<p>Mayor Raj Salwan echoed the same sentiment, saying police wouldn&rsquo;t target workers for handing out these items, providing legal resources, or even handing out tents. Instead, Salwan said the &ldquo;aiding and abetting&rdquo; clause would apply to people who help build structures.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Some individuals come kind of like vigilantes,&rdquo; Salwan said. &ldquo;They want to start building these structures for the unhoused that are unsafe. Then this provision would come in.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Still, the specifics of the ordinance remain unclear to people inside and outside the city, and many believe its language is broad enough to get people into trouble. When asked by the outlet if it would be against the law to help someone pitch a tent, the mayor said he would need to &ldquo;seek clarification from the city attorney.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Prior to the legislation being passed, Eve Garrow, a senior policy analyst and ACLU of Southern California advocate, shared that she believed the ordinance would &ldquo;put a chill on any type of humanitarian aid or help that local residents would otherwise be providing to people who are unhoused and unsheltered.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Fremont&rsquo;s ordinance came as the Supreme Court ruled last June in <em>City of Grants Pass v. Johnson<\/em> that a city could ban camping or homeless encampments on public property even if no housing shelters are available.<\/p>\n<p>Since the Supreme Court decision, nearly 150 cities have <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">created laws banning public encampments<\/a>, with more than 40 of those cities being in California.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1722113\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1722113\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bay Area city makes it illegal to assist homeless individuals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2542,"featured_media":2402039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AP23046654215833.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[25660,4045,50300,11561,32076],"class_list":["post-2402038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-abetting","tag-california","tag-fremont","tag-homelessness","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/AP23046654215833.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2402038","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2542"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2402038"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2402038\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2402042,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2402038\/revisions\/2402042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2402039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2402038"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2402038"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2402038"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}