Oakland’s political leaders are celebrating the passage of a new ordinance that increases penalties for illegal dumping and bolsters efforts to clean up city streets.
The ordinance more than doubles the fines for dumping trash on Oakland streets, parks, sidewalks and other spaces to $1,500 for the first offense, $3,000 for the second and $5,000 for the third.
Also, if a person is caught dumping illegally multiple times on private property within a 10-year period, they could face triple the initial civil penalties.
The amendments to Oakland's illegal dumping law were sponsored by Mayor Barbara Lee and City Councilmember Zac Unger and passed unanimously by the City Council last week.
The ordinance also seeks to prevent illegal dumpers from pinning their crimes on the city's homeless residents by making it clear that garbage generated by people living in encampments isn't defined as illegal dumping under the new rules.
