Federal Judge Rules L.A. Liable for Destroying Homeless People's Property

Ruling finds city altered records to cover up unlawful seizures during encampment cleanups

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A federal judge has ruled that the city of Los Angeles violated the constitutional rights of homeless people by seizing and destroying their personal property during encampment cleanups. The judge found that the city had altered records of the cleanups to make it appear that proper procedures were followed, when in fact the evidence showed the city had fabricated or modified documents in over 100 cases to cover up unlawful seizures.

Why it matters

This ruling is a major victory for homeless advocates, who have long complained about the city's practices of confiscating and discarding the belongings of unhoused residents during cleanup operations. The judge's findings of widespread record tampering undermine the city's claims that it was simply following proper protocols, and could lead to significant changes in how the city handles property seizures from homeless encampments going forward.

The details

The ruling came in a 2019 lawsuit filed by seven homeless individuals and the advocacy group KTown For All. The judge found that in a neutral forensic analysis, records were either modified or fabricated in 90% of 144 cleanup operations examined. This included changing descriptions of items as biohazards, characterizing property as surrendered or dangerous, and adding narratives about procedures that did not actually occur. The judge rejected the city's argument that the issues were simply due to 'error-filled record keeping during the pandemic'.

  • The lawsuit was filed in 2019 on behalf of seven homeless plaintiffs and the advocacy group KTown For All.
  • In 2022, the judge ordered a neutral forensic examination of the alleged record tampering.
  • In 2024, the judge found preliminary evidence of the city altering records, but withheld a final ruling until the examination was complete.
  • The final ruling was issued on February 12, 2026.

The players

U.S. District Judge Dale S. Fisher

The federal judge who ruled that the city of Los Angeles violated the constitutional rights of homeless people by seizing and destroying their personal property during encampment cleanups.

Shayla Myers

The lead attorney for the plaintiffs, representing the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.

Sherin Varghese

The volunteer president of the advocacy group KTown For All, which was a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

Janet Garcia

One of the seven homeless plaintiffs in the lawsuit, who alleged that the city seized and destroyed her personal property used for her work as a domestic cleaner.

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What they’re saying

“This means that the court has accepted all of the facts alleged in the case as true without a trial, effectively granting a win for the plaintiffs.”

— Shayla Myers, Lead attorney for the plaintiffs (Los Angeles Times)

“For years, our members have been hearing and telling the same stories all across this city. They took my ID. They took my medication. They took my tent. They took all my clothes and blankets. They took my parents' ashes. They took the bike I take to work. They made fun of me while they tore my life apart and threw it into a trash truck.”

— Sherin Varghese, Volunteer president of KTown For All (Los Angeles Times)

What’s next

The judge has ordered the parties to file briefs by March 15 on proposed relief, which could include monetary damages and an injunction requiring the city to provide homeless people the opportunity to contest the seizure of their property and recover seized items.

The takeaway

This ruling exposes a disturbing pattern of the city of Los Angeles unlawfully seizing and destroying the personal belongings of homeless individuals, and then attempting to cover up its actions through the fabrication and alteration of official records. It underscores the urgent need for greater accountability and oversight of the city's treatment of its unhoused residents.