NFPA Journal - Spring 2023 - 24

other emergencies at encampments throughout the
city while also driving more people experiencing
homelessness into shelters, where they can be
connected with resources.
Within a day, however, the city faced numerous threats
of lawsuits. More than 400 pages of public comments
flooded officials' inboxes, with many staunchly opposed
to any such bans on homeless encampments.
" We categorically reject a policing solution to
homelessness, " one resident wrote in an email
sent to the city. Another noted that " when I was
in Seattle, the clearance and fencing off of The
Jungle " -a 150-acre greenbelt area in the city known
for its homeless encampments and crime- " led to an
immediate explosion of tents in the downtown and
neighborhoods to the north. It made the camping
issue worse, not better. "
Others, however, supported the Tacoma ban. One
resident even felt it didn't go far enough, and asked
why the city would limit the ban to encampments
located near shelters-why not ban them all?
The back-and-forth in Tacoma illustrates many
communities' experiences as they struggle to address
the issues of homelessness, homeless encampments,
and the safety issues those environments can produce-issues
that often put fire and building code
departments in a difficult position. " The discussions
I'm hearing from jurisdictions is that it comes down
to the question of balancing people's rights with
maintaining their safety, " said Ray Bizal, director
of Regional Operations at NFPA. " It's not the same
situation as shutting down a business that isn't
The 2017 Skirball
Fire in Los Angeles
was traced to a
cooking fire at a
homeless encampment
in a ravine.
The resulting wildland
blaze spread
through the enclave
of Bel-Air, destroying
six homes, damaging
a dozen more,
and prompting widespread
evacuations.
code-compliant. It can be more nuanced and political
and controversial than that. "
While officials may fear lawsuits for clearing
camps in the name of safety, it seems that doing
nothing can be just as risky legally. In Phoenix in
2020, for instance, a group of residents who lived
and worked near a homeless encampment sued the
city, alleging that its inaction in regard to cleaning
up the camp impeded their safety. But when the city
moved to clear a homeless encampment just last
year, it was sued by the American Civil Liberties
Union for violating the rights of the people who
called the camp home.
First responders operate at the crossroads of this
conflict, and for firefighters in Los Angeles-a city
often defined by its overwhelming homeless problem-each
day is a reminder of the fire problem among
the city's estimated 70,000 homeless residents. On
average, the LAFD responds to 24 homeless-related
fires every day; most are small, but others are large
enough to cause extensive damage to buildings and
" It comes down to the question
of balancing people's rights with
maintaining their safety. It's not the
same situation as shutting down a
business that isn't code-compliant.
It can be more nuanced and political
and controversial than that. "
-RAY BIZAL
DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL OPERATIONS AT NFPA
24 | NFPA JOURNAL * SPRING 2023
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NFPA Journal - Spring 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - Spring 2023
