What to know about the new Palm Springs airport trespassing ordinance

The Palm Springs City Council on Thursday unanimously approved an ordinance regarding trespassing on public property, including at the Palm Springs International Airport, in light of what officials have described as an increasing problem with homeless people sleeping at the airport.

The ordinance lays out which activities are considered "legitimate airport business," and any person who violates the policy could be removed from the airport and/or arrested.

Here's what you need to know.

What the airport trespass ordinance says

The airport ordinance states it is unlawful for a person to enter or remain in the Palm Springs International Airport unless they have "legitimate airport business." Those activities include flying in or out, working at the airport or engaging with airline customer service, such as buying a ticket or rescheduling a flight. It also allows for people who are shopping or dining at the airport, or waiting for or escorting someone who's there for a legitimate reason.

Anyone else could be “promptly removed” from the airport under the proposed ordinance, and also charged with a misdemeanor punishable with a $1,000 fine or up to six months in jail.

"With regard to the enforcement of this provision, I think if you ask the police department, they will tell you they are not looking to use this ordinance to put people in jail," City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger said at the meeting. "The purpose of this is really to just ensure the airport property is used for airport purposes and not as a shelter."

He added that if someone does need assistance or connection to homeless services, police officers will make those offers before anyone is removed or cited for trespassing.

Airport Executive Director Harry Barrett Jr. said staff members routinely inspect the facility, and they "generally have a good idea of who's there for business or for travel and who may be loitering or seeking shelter." If they notice someone there for reasons outside of regular airport business, he said employees speak with that person first to better understand why they are there, and then they contact the police department if needed.

When it comes to how Palm Springs police officers deal with a situation, Chief Andy Mills said they look at what's reasonable under the given circumstances.

"If a person is sitting there with a cup of coffee in their hand ... and it takes a while, then that's obviously going to be fine, many of us do that," Mills said. "But if it becomes a cup of coffee that last seven or eight hours, that becomes more unreasonable and that's when we engage the person in dialogue and discussion, and based on what they're telling us, it can get to a point where we no longer are at a place where we're discussing and now we're taking action."

He added that if people were willing to accept resources, officers have connected unhoused people to the Palm Springs Access Center, located near the airport, or offered them hotel vouchers.

Councilmember Christy Holstege also raised a question over whether migrants or asylum seekers would be protected under the ordinance. Barrett Jr. said it would not cause problems for those passengers, who are usually able to present a ticket when asked by airport staffers.

The approved ordinance also gives the city manager the authority to decide rules and regulations regarding trespassing for city property. For public property of other public agencies, such as the school district, the governing body of that agency would need to approve regulations regarding trespass.

Operation Relentless Sun begins Wednesday

The ordinance was approved just before Mills' Operation Relentless Sun goes into effect Wednesday.

The new initiative is an attempt to better address negative impacts on the city associated with homelessness by more strictly enforcing laws for homeless individuals engaging in criminal activity, such as using or selling drugs or stealing shopping carts.

Operation Relentless Sun has three components:

• Create a marketing plan to inform the homeless their choices have consequences

• Those who refuse will face the full weight of the law

• Officers will conduct frequent point-in-time counts to collect data that demonstrate improvement

Results from the 2022 homeless point-in-time count showed there were 222 unsheltered people in Palm Springs, up 18% from 2020. An additional 54 people were in shelters but lacked stable housing.

Latest on Palm Springs navigation center

As Palm Springs continues to find solutions for the homeless population, work continues on a planned navigation center between the city and Riverside County.

The center, which will be located on a 3.64-acre site at 3589 McCarthy Road, will aim to provide temporary housing and other resources to homeless residents with the aim of moving them into stable housing. It will include 80 temporary housing units, plus spaces where clients will receive a variety of services, such as mental and physical health care and help with securing a job and long-term housing.

City spokesperson Amy Blaisdell said the 80 residential units are expected to be installed on the property by September.

Construction documents for the remodeling of two of the existing buildings on the site (housing kitchen facilities, supportive services and resident amenities) were submitted to the Building and Safety Department in December and are currently under review. However, equipment shortages may delay some of the construction components of the project, Blaisdell said, and Southern California Edison has indicated that there will be a delay in providing upgraded electrical service to the property.

"Regardless, the project is still on track to provide necessary housing and services to unhoused individuals," she said.

A report on the status and funding of the project is tentatively scheduled to be presented at the Feb. 9 council meeting.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her atema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What to know about the new Palm Springs airport trespassing ordinance