City Approves $400,000 Agreement with Caltrans to Clear Homeless Encampments From State Highways

City Council unanimously approved a $400,000 agreement with the California Department of Transportation on August 5 that authorizes the City to remove homeless encampments from state highway right-of-way within City limits through June 30, 2027.

Under the pilot program, the City's Public Safety Engagement Team (PSET) will clear encampments and debris from 18.4 miles of freeway system, including portions of Interstate 215, State Route 60 and State Route 91. The City can bill Caltrans up to $50,000 quarterly for maintenance costs.

"The PSET team provides outreach services for individuals experiencing homelessness and debris and material removal associated with encampments located in the public right of way," Deputy Public Works Director Nathan Mustafa told the Housing and Homelessness Committee.

Councilmembers strongly supported the agreement, citing the urgent need to address encampments that residents see when entering the City via freeways.

"Every day I get on the freeway at La Sierra, all along the Caltrans property, folks are out there. The filth, the garbage that they leave behind is out there," said Councilmember Sean Mill during the August 5 meeting. "When people are getting off the freeway to enter our city, they see that on both sides and it's not very welcoming."

The agreement addresses Caltrans Maintenance Policy Directive 1001-R1, which prohibits encampments on state transportation right-of-way. According to the agreement, Caltrans maintains that encampments degrade highway infrastructure, impact highway facility operations and create safety risks for homeless individuals, the traveling public, adjacent neighborhoods, Caltrans staff and first responders.

Mustafa explained why the partnership makes sense given Caltrans' vast coverage area: "Caltrans District 8 stretches all the way up to Bishop. They have a field office up there, so they have a lot of terrain to cover."

Council members authorized the City manager to execute the agreement and make minor non-substantive changes. The approval also included authorization to extend the agreement beyond the initial term ending June 30, 2027.

During discussion, councilmembers raised questions about implementation details and funding limitations.

"I think you could spend 50k in one ward in one quarter," noted Councilmember Phillip Falcone, expressing concern about how quickly the funds might be depleted.

Councilmember Jim Perry questioned the notification requirements, asking about "giving like a seven days notice before we go out there" and how that would work in practice.

Two-tier removal system

The agreement establishes two priority levels for encampment removal. Priority Level 1 encampments pose imminent threats to life, health, safety or infrastructure and require immediate removal without prior notice. These include encampments where individuals face immediate risk of vehicle strikes, people living in confined spaces like bridge cells, or encampments near unstable structures at risk of collapse.

Priority Level 2 encampments encompass all other situations that do not pose immediate threats. The City must provide 14 days of outreach services when possible for Priority Level 2 removals and submit removal request forms to Caltrans' Encampment Specialist Maintenance Superintendent for approval.

The agreement requires California Highway Patrol presence during removal operations. City crews cannot begin removal when homeless individuals remain in the immediate vicinity and must provide reasonable time for people to remove possessions before starting work.

Property handling requirements

Personal property collection follows specific guidelines. The City must collect and store items with apparent value of $50 or more for at least 60 days, including eyeglasses, medical equipment, identification documents, bicycles and containers in good condition.

The City will not collect items presenting health or safety risks, including toxic materials, sharps, chemicals, items soiled with infectious materials, and moldy or infested belongings.

The City must maintain comprehensive records for each encampment removal, including photographs, assessments, contractor information, social service provider details and law enforcement reports. The City must retain files for four years.

Coverage areas and operations

The agreement covers specific highway segments within City limits:

• State Route 60: From the Santa Ana River Bridge to the 60/91/215 junction and from 0.2 miles west of the 60/215 junction to Day Street
• State Route 91: From 1.5 miles west of La Sierra Avenue to the 60/91/215 junction
• Interstate 215: From 0.3 miles north of Central Avenue to 0.1 miles north of Columbia Avenue and from Alessandro Boulevard to 0.2 miles south of Fair Isle Drive

Work hours are restricted to 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. unless otherwise authorized, with weekend and holiday work requiring prior written approval. The City must obtain annual encroachment permits from Caltrans at no cost before entering state right-of-way.

Regional context and city capabilities

The city sits within Caltrans District 8, which covers Riverside and San Bernardino counties with 49 incorporated cities across 28,650 square miles. The district includes four interstates and 32 state routes totaling 7,200 lane miles, making it the largest of California's 12 Caltrans districts.

City staff identified mutual benefits in leveraging the city's proximity and response capabilities with the state's financial resources. The Public Works Department maintains established relationships with Caltrans through traffic improvements, drainage projects, service requests and capital projects.

"Both PSET and Public Works have strong relationships with Caltrans and familiarity with different aspects of their processes," Mustafa explained. "Caltrans and the city explored means to leverage the city's awareness and availability, and the state's fiscal resources."

The Housing and Human Services Outreach Services Division holds contracts with four vendors capable of removing debris and materials from public right-of-way as outlined in the agreement. Caltrans will continue servicing the designated areas, but the agreement provides additional response capacity.

Administrative requirements

The city certifies self-insurance coverage meeting required amounts of $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate and $5 million excess for general liability, bodily injury and property damage. The agreement includes mutual indemnification clauses protecting both parties from claims arising from the other's actions.

Either party may terminate the agreement with 30 days' written notice. State payments depend on legislative appropriations and funding encumbrance to Caltrans District 8.

The agreement aligns with the City's Strategic Priority No. 2 Community Well-Being, specifically Goal 2.5 to foster relationships between community members, partner organizations and public safety professionals to address community safety and social service needs.