Pasadena Considers Homeless Court to Address Unhoused Population

The Pasadena City Council explored the possibility of creating a specialized homeless court program as part of efforts to address the City’s unhoused population at the Council meeting on Monday.

The proposed court, still in the planning stages, would aim to divert homeless individuals who receive citations or low-level charges into housing and supportive services rather than jail, according to Ted Smith, Assistant City Prosecutor.

“If that individual accepts going to homeless court, we would divert person and that person would immediately go into interim housing right then and there before being assessed,” Smith told the Council, describing a hypothetical scenario.

The process would take six to nine months, with the goal of transitioning individuals from temporary to more permanent housing options, he added.

City Manager Miguel Márquez said staff are still working to set up the homeless court. The local court system has agreed to provide dedicated courtrooms and days for the program, according to the City Attorney.

“Our funding, et cetera would be in terms of the services and potential vouchers for people when they leave, this is where they’re going,” the City Attorney told the Council.

Councilmembers expressed varied opinions on the concept, with some showing interest while others raised concerns about costs and implementation.

“I think the homeless court is definitely a tool that could be used,” said Councilmember Tyron Hampton. He suggested discussing the proposal further at a public safety committee meeting.

The homeless court discussion came as part of a broader Council study session on the City’s efforts to address homelessness following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson.

Councilmembers debated the implications of the ruling, with differing interpretations of how it might affect Pasadena’s policies. Despite the ruling, officials emphasized maintaining a “care first” approach.

“We have a culture here. I think we’ve demonstrated that we are a care first approach and unless the Council directs otherwise, we’ll continue care first approach,” Márquez said.

The City Manager noted Pasadena housed 410 formerly homeless individuals in 2023, up from 310 the previous year. The City currently has 488 permanent supportive housing units, with plans for about 100 more.

Councilmembers and Ciy staff have agreed addressing homelessness requires a regional approach. Mayor Victor Gordo said he is working to coordinate discussions through the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, potentially including Los Angeles and other neighboring cities.

“We’ve got to partner with the County and we’re on our way to doing that,” Gordo said, noting the County’s primary responsibility for mental health and substance abuse services.

The meeting included extensive public comment, with some residents supporting stronger enforcement measures and others advocating against the “criminalization of homelessness.”

As the nearly four-hour discussion wrapped up, Márquez thanked the Council and community for their support of the City’s homelessness efforts, including existing programs like the Pasadena Outreach Response Team (PORT) and Homeless Outreach and Psychiatric Evaluation (HOPE) team.

“I don’t know that there’s ever been anything we put forward that the Council said, ‘no, let’s not do that’,” he said. “I think the Council has been incredibly supportive.”