San Luis Obispo rancher who housed homeless is sentenced to jail for safety code violations

A San Luis Obispo rancher who for years has illegally housed homeless people was ordered today to serve 90 days in jail.

A defiant Dan de Vaul stretched out his arms and let deputies place handcuffs on him before being led out of the San Luis Obispo courtroom. The 66-year-old defendant was offered probation after a jury convicted him in September of two misdemeanor violations of building and safety codes at his Sunny Acres ranch.

But De Vaul refused the terms of his probation because he said it would mean he could no longer provide shelter for about 30 people who reside in his sober-living facility. For eight years, he’s operated the program on his 72-acre ranch, housing clients in mobile homes, tents, garden sheds and an aging Victorian home.

For a time, he also housed people in a three-story stucco barracks until it was shut down last year.

“The first condition of probation is obey all laws,” De Vaul said before the hearing, which was attended by about 30 of his supporters. “I’m proud to go to jail for housing the homeless.”

Superior Court Judge John Trice said San Luis Obispo officials have repeatedly offered to help De Vaul bring his property up to code. But De Vaul has declined all attempts at help, Trice said.

“Such conduct can only be viewed as irresponsible and arrogant,” the judge said before sentencing him to jail.

De Vaul was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.

-- Catherine Saillant in San Luis Obispo

Photo: San Luis Obispo deputy sheriff Noah Martin puts the handcuffs on Dan De Vaul after De Vaul was sentenced to 90 days in jail. Credit: Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times

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Comments

[GT]

Seems like the County or the City would want to get on the band wagon and support him or even the local churches. He keeps the homeless out of harm’s way and not as wards of the local communities...who will now be burdened as the homeless have nowhere to go. If this were back east a church of God fearing Baptists would already been on hand to build on the property, but churches of that ilk seem far, few and in between in California. Of course in this time of budget cuts, the old days of helping in the "season" has gone to the wayside of the progress through incarceration. I hope someone with more financial resources than myself will see this story and what it represents and see past the stubborn side of this "farmer" and make this right for all.

[Dave in LA]

No good deed goes unpunished.

[Reed]

You Are Kidding! You let the governors wife break the law in sight of God and everybody and you arrest somebody who helps the homeless because of Safety liolations, at least he is trying to help, that's more than the state or federal gov.is doing. You people.

[tony B]

On one side you want to have compassion for this man. On the other, you realize he's simply arrogant and looking to gain publicity. Why didn't he just accept the offer from the official to bring his property up to code? Is he hiding some illicit activity transpiring on the land? Makes you wonder.

[violet]

outrageous.

[Kevin]

Yes it is sad that he has to go to jail for helping people. But, this one section gives me pause when looking at the whole picture:

"Superior Court Judge John Trice said San Luis Obispo officials have repeatedly offered to help De Vaul bring his property up to code. But De Vaul has declined all attempts at help, Trice said.

“Such conduct can only be viewed as irresponsible and arrogant,” the judge said before sentencing him to jail."

The government has a responsibility to make sure that people are following the laws and regulations put in place.

[abalal]

i hear they have great parties there

[Katarina]

like someone else mentioned, he was offered help and refused it.. he is there for his own self agradization, not to help, if he wanted to really help and not do it as lets say a way to make good for perhaps past transgrestions as he grows older, he would have accepted help to bring the property up to code.. as the other says, hmm what is he hiding?? And no, you can not ignore code violations for one, when people are up in arms if anyone else breaks housing codes..

GT if you read it again he was offered help and refused it. Why gee imagine, it isnt *always* the government at fault

[michelle]

Here is someone (one of very few) who is willing to help the homeless and instead of providing State or County assistance for these people (it should not be the responsibility of private citizens to be doing this), we are jailing him for helping the needy. Shame on everyone involved in this!

[gdp]

tony b, for the record, not everyone's ambition is fame. i don't know this man or his thoughts. but there are some people out there whose genuine passion is to help others in need with no regard for punishment. i think next time you should inform yourself a bit more before making such harsh assumptions.

[Sonya]

It's a small article yet people comment on what they did NOT read:

"refused the terms of his probation because he said it would mean he could no longer provide shelter for about 30 people who reside in his sober-living facility"

That's the "ilicit" activity transpiring on this "arrogant" man's land. Geez.

[concerned]

If someone were to get hurt, everyone would be questioning where the courts were, and why they never did anything to bring the housing up to code. Just my opinion.

[BLW]

What are these "codes" that the city is willing to help him with that he is refusing?

[Pam Coker]

You have to be kidding! A good citizen who is trying to help others, and the powers that be have to see how much trouble they can cause him. What would they do to Jesus if he were to appear on earth today?

[A Nony Mouse]

The help that was offered was to shut him down. California planning laws are among the strictest in the country. To continue housing those in need, he started building sheds. Good for him.

[Bongo]

I didn't know the state had enough cash to jail people for being arrogant. I guess Cali has enough cash afterall for all the drug dealers, pimps and murderers they were talking about releasing early.

Free Dan de Vaul!

[Eddie]

I was feeling bad for the guy until we got to the part about how he'd refused offers of help to bring the buildings up to code.

If these buildings caught on fire or collapsed and we learned about it after a dozen homeless people had been killed because this guy ignored repeated warnings from officials, we'd think he ought to be jailed - but since nobody's been harmed (yet) by his negligence, he's a hero? Hardly.

Maybe a few months in jail will make him think twice about how important building safety codes are. "I was trying to help" only goes so far when your neglect is taking the same people you're trying to help and putting them in harm's way.

[Bob]

Talk about "irresponsible and arrogant"...where would these homeless people go judge? I'm sure you're not "irresponsible and arrogant", like this man, to let them into your home would you???

[J of La Mode]

This is ridiculous. Why wasn't he applauded? No instead he was fined and called irresponsible; I think he was a trooper, housed 30 probably fed all 30 he's pretty responsible to me. Sentenced for 90days because he's a good samaritan.

[Jazzy1103]

In reponse to Tony B. The government stated that they offered to help him. They didn't say what type of help was offered. The government is good for offering low interest loans like they do for disaster victims. He probably refused their help because he couldn't afford it.

The government should learn from his example. We live in the richest country in the world, spend billions on warfare, send food and builders to house people in foreign countries when we have people starving and sleeping on the streets across from the White House.

We offer medical care to third world countries and let our mentally disable people roam the streets because they don't have insurance.

Again, our government need to learn from his example.

[John]

I totally agree with this gentlemen. Let the government in and you now have them controlling what you do. To the government employees who started this, what are you doing to get these people into some type of housing and off of the streets? I guess in their minds, its better to have these poor souls living on the streets in cold weather this time of year. "I am from the government and I am here to help you". Yeah, I am here to control what you are doing and then maybe take some of the credit for what you are doing to help these poor souls.

[pasadena jag]

Code violations? What a joke! These slimy political hacks are ruining America with all their laws and rules. So now the country can house them. America is a total joke.

[Raised In Redlands]

So this guy is helping people who would be homeless with a place to stay.
Then he is arrested and prosecuted for doing this now it is off to jail for him.
How I wonder does a judge determine making people homeless and putting a man in prison are good at protecting the community.

[Dan]

Now before you start criticizing the authorities here, what would be your reaction if there had been a fire there and people had been killed because proper codes weren't followed? Is this fair to these homeless individuals?

Apparently he was offered help to be able to do what he generously wanted to do--but he stubbornly refused. Nobody seems to want him to stop doing this--instead the officials have a responsibility to insure that it is being done in a safe way for the individuals involved. I believe they handled things well. It is a shame that de Vaul would not work with them. This story could have had a happy ending if he could have.

[Alejandro Salazar]

There were from Government and they were there to help. Why would he refuse ???? Perhaps because that government confiscates bilions of dollars from woring class and there are homless out there that need help.