Sacramento County Sues City of Sacramento for Public Nuisance and Water Pollution Associated with Unhoused Encampments

January 2024

California Land Use Law & Policy Reporter, Volume 33, Number 4

On December 5, 2023, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho filed an amended civil complaint against the City of Sacramento (City), accusing the City of allowing its unhoused crisis to become a public nuisance and pollute “waters of the State,” in violation of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Porter-Cologne) and the California Fish and Game code. The water pollution claims in the amended complaint replace now-abandoned causes of action from the original complaint that was filed approximately three months prior. [People of the State of California v. Sac. County, Case No. 23CV008658 (Sac. County Super. Ct.).]

Subscribers to the California Land Use Law & Policy Reporter or the California Water Law & Policy Reporter can read the full legislative update here.