Penal Code section 647 covers various disorderly conduct offenses, and subdivision (e) has historically addressed lodging in a place without the permission of the owner. Enforcement of lodging-related offenses generally has become more constrained following case law and settlements concerning unhoused individuals, and many jurisdictions pair statutory authority with local ordinances and available shelter considerations.
On Sacramento apartment or commercial properties, encampments or individuals sleeping in stairwells, breezeways, parking structures, or loading docks are a recurring management concern. Security officers often serve as the first point of documentation, noting location, duration, and any hazardous conditions, and offering information about local outreach resources where a client's policy calls for it.
Security personnel do not have authority to forcibly remove a sleeping or lodging individual on their own initiative; the appropriate steps typically involve courteous contact, documentation, and referral to law enforcement or code enforcement, consistent with client policy and applicable case law limiting enforcement against unhoused individuals absent available shelter. Property-specific legal guidance should shape any removal protocol.
This is an area where statutory text, city ordinances, and constitutional case law interact and shift; verify current law and consult counsel before building enforcement procedures.
Related entries
Official sources
- [1]Cal. Penal Code § 647California Legislative Information
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General industry and regulatory usage — not legal advice, and not an endorsement by BSIS, the Department of Consumer Affairs, or any law-enforcement agency. Statutes, regulations, and local ordinances change; verify current text at the official government source or with your attorney.