SLO County gets 800 complaints for shelter-at-home violations. How many citations? Zero
Over the past month, San Luis Obispo County’s code enforcement team received around 800 calls on its hotline for reporting non-compliance of the county’s shelter-at-home order, put in place March 23.
The hotline is intended for alleged social distancing violations at businesses, according to county officials.
But neither the county, nor any of the seven San Luis Obispo County city jurisdictions responsible for enforcement, has issued a single citation. That’s a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both.
County and city enforcement teams instead are urging cooperation from businesses to help stop the spread of coronavirus — and they’re getting positive results overall, they say.
“Each city is handling the investigations and enforcement a little differently, but we are all focused on voluntary compliance, which has been effective,” said Michelle Shoresman, the county’s COVID-19 response spokesperson.
SLO County receives social distancing complaints
Representatives of San Luis Obispo County and each of the seven cities said they’re receiving complaints about groups gathering in public areas to drink alcohol and people mingling at local restaurants while picking up takeout.
People are also calling in to report home-operated hair styling businesses, they said.
Matt Janssen, who’s leading the county’s COVID-19 code enforcement effort, described some of the types of calls coming into the public hotline, which had received about 800 calls as of Thursday afternoon.
Callers have complained about car washes and barbershops that are operating when they should be shut down, as well as golfers not practicing social distancing and pro shops staying open, Janssen said. Golfing is allowed under the countywide shelter-at-home order, with bill collecting being offered through side windows to minimize exposures at local courses.
”People are grabbing their take out food, then sitting down together at park bench in Cayucos. No social distancing,” one caller said, according to Janssen. “You should make the owner of the restaurant enforce social distancing outside their business.”
When will local businesses be cited for violations?
Although there’s no official threshold on citations, a repeat offender who blatantly continues to violate the shelter-at-home order could face enforcement, Janssen said.
“The county is enforcing the emergency order consistently throughout the county, however, while some businesses come into compliance with one contact or visit, others (take) two or more visits,” Janssen said. “Citations will be issued when they have a verified repeat offender that refuses to come into compliance with the order.”
Under the shelter-at-home order, public and private gatherings of any number of people outside a household or living space are prohibited.
That’s except for essential businesses such as grocery, gas station and hospital services. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the county announced that a few sectors of businesses and activities can reopen, including pet grooming, recreational fishing and fabric stores.
Outdoor hikes and bike rides are also allowed as long as participants observe social distancing. And family members or roommates who live in the same household can safely join in activities without social distancing.
How shelter-at-home calls are investigated
Janssen said his office has a handful of staff members dedicated to investigating claims relating to the COVID-19 shelter-at-home order.
They determine whether a business is acting consistently with the emergency order, under its essential or non-essential status.
County code enforcement and Sheriff’s deputies check out social distancing violation claims and work with businesses to gain compliance, if necessary, Janssen said. County counsel may get involved as well to reach out to a business in rare instances.
Janssen said that sometimes officials respond to a report that turns out to be erroneous or can’t be confirmed.
“We have found out that sometimes people will report a violation, and we’ll find out it’s a neighboring, competing business that called it in, and we can’t confirm that anything ever took place,” Janssen said.
Calls to the county on businesses in city jurisdictions make up about 20% of the hotline’s messages, according to the data. SLO has its own hotline and some city police departments and administrative offices are getting calls as well.
“If a business is found to be problematic and a threat to public health, the county will coordinate with that city on more aggressive enforcement action,” Shoresman said.
Social distancing complaints by region
As of Thursday, the city of San Luis Obispo had received 65 reports of non-compliance and issued 10 warnings, but no citations.
The majority of the reports were for businesses not maintaining physical distancing and for non-essential businesses operating and open to the public, Greg Hermann, San Luis Obispo’s deputy city manager.
“All reports were followed up promptly by code enforcement staff or the police department,” Hermann said. “Our goal continues to be voluntary compliance, but the city will take enforcement action when necessary.”
In addition, the city has “issued a total of 29 noise violations” related to parties since the county order went into effect on March 19.
On April 7, the city enacted its safety enhancement zone policy, doubling fines for noise, unruly gatherings and other violations. It will remain in place until the county shelter-at-home order is lifted.
The Morro Bay Police Department has received five calls related to possible social distancing violations.
Police Chief Jody Cox said the city has taken a “three-pronged” approach to those complaints. Officers will first educate suspected violators, then give them a warning, sometimes in writing, and if all else fails, a $1,000 administrative citation will be issued, she said.
The city hasn’t had to go that far, Cox said.
Spots such as the Embarcadero and local beaches continue to be popular gathering spots during the pandemic, Cox said. The police have also been called on restaurants with patrons eating in outdoor dining areas, she added.
In the North County, the Atascadero Police Department received 19 calls for service for social distancing-related complaints, deputy city manager Terrie Banish said.
Paso Robles has received just a few complaints, mostly of behavior at the city convenience stores, Paso Robles Police Chief Ty Lewis said.
Since March 25, the city logged just nine complaints through its dispatch center. Nearly half of those were from the same person and the most recent complaint was made more than two weeks ago, Paso Robles Police Cmdr. Caleb Davis said.
Paso Robles received complaints related to 28 different businesses through the county hotline, but those occurred while the county’s shelter-at-home order was in the early days and businesses were “trying to figure it out,” Davis said.
In recent weeks, the city has received two complaints of social distancing and officers found them not to be valid, he said.
South County law enforcement agencies reported similar behavior.
Grover Beach Police Chief John Peters said his department has received very few complaints to its dispatch line.
Bruce Buckingham, the city’s code compliance officer, said any complaints made to the city have resolved quickly. Overall, all businesses have been compliant, Buckingham said.
In Arroyo Grande, the majority of social distancing-related calls for service “have been complaints at our parks where folks have been gathering in groups,” said city Police Chief Beau Pryor.
Pryor said police proactively patrol all of the parks to gain voluntary compliance through education.
“The PD has not issued any citations or made any arrests,” Pryor said. “We have been successful with educating and gaining voluntary compliance on social distancing violations.”
The city of Pismo Beach had received 41 noncompliance calls as of Thursday, according to data provided by city police Chief Jake Miller.
Those calls included complaints about groups gathered in public spaces such as parks and beach areas.
According to Miller, Pismo Beach calls have mentioned “three to five men” drinking beer outside a pharmacy store, a business owner working out of her home and a personal trainer holding a kickboxing class.
“Everyone contacted has been very compliant when reminded,” Miller said.
How to report a shelter-at-home violation
Violations of shelter-at-home and social distancing guidelines can be reported to San Luis Obispo County’s hotline at 805-788-2222 or the city of San Luis Obispo’s hotline at 805-783-7835.
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