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| Gavin Newsom issues order for removal of homeless encampments in California | Gavin Newsom issues order for removal of homeless encampments in California |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Executive order gives guidance on how to remove tents and says decision for removal remains up to local authorities | Executive order gives guidance on how to remove tents and says decision for removal remains up to local authorities |
| The California governor, Gavin Newsom, issued an executive order on Thursday calling for the removal of homeless encampments across the state. | The California governor, Gavin Newsom, issued an executive order on Thursday calling for the removal of homeless encampments across the state. |
| The policy calls for shutdowns of encampments on state property and urges local governments to follow suit. The order cites a controversial US supreme court decision in June saying unhoused people sleeping outside can be ticketed and jailed even when there is no shelter available. The ruling was the most consequential on homelessness in the US in decades and sparked widespread concern from advocates for the unhoused, who argued that criminalization exacerbates the crisis, making it harder for people to get the help they need. | The policy calls for shutdowns of encampments on state property and urges local governments to follow suit. The order cites a controversial US supreme court decision in June saying unhoused people sleeping outside can be ticketed and jailed even when there is no shelter available. The ruling was the most consequential on homelessness in the US in decades and sparked widespread concern from advocates for the unhoused, who argued that criminalization exacerbates the crisis, making it harder for people to get the help they need. |
| The Democratic governor’s order comes as California has struggled to tackle its homelessness emergency, which in recent years has become one of the worst in the nation. A 2023 count estimated that there were more than 180,000 people in the state experiencing homelessness, including 123,000 people living outside on the streets in tents, trailers, cars and makeshift shelters. | The Democratic governor’s order comes as California has struggled to tackle its homelessness emergency, which in recent years has become one of the worst in the nation. A 2023 count estimated that there were more than 180,000 people in the state experiencing homelessness, including 123,000 people living outside on the streets in tents, trailers, cars and makeshift shelters. |
| The order directs state agencies to develop policies to remove encampments in line with the California transportation department’s long-running efforts to sweep away tents along freeways and other properties under its jurisdiction. Encampments should be subject to “immediate removal” when there is an “imminent threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure”; otherwise, unhoused people should be given notice at least 48 hours prior to the shutdowns, the order says. | The order directs state agencies to develop policies to remove encampments in line with the California transportation department’s long-running efforts to sweep away tents along freeways and other properties under its jurisdiction. Encampments should be subject to “immediate removal” when there is an “imminent threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure”; otherwise, unhoused people should be given notice at least 48 hours prior to the shutdowns, the order says. |
| The policy “encourages” local governments to adopt similar practices. The governor cannot order cities to do sweeps, but he can pressure them by threatening to withhold state funds. Newsom’s spokesperson told the New York Times that some state agencies were poised to immediately ramp up sweeps while others would take a couple of weeks to develop plans. | The policy “encourages” local governments to adopt similar practices. The governor cannot order cities to do sweeps, but he can pressure them by threatening to withhold state funds. Newsom’s spokesperson told the New York Times that some state agencies were poised to immediately ramp up sweeps while others would take a couple of weeks to develop plans. |
| “We must act with urgency to address dangerous encampments,” Newsom said in a statement. | “We must act with urgency to address dangerous encampments,” Newsom said in a statement. |
| The order comes as Republicans have repeatedly used the homelessness crisis to attack Newsom and other California Democrats, including the likely presidential nominee Kamala Harris. | The order comes as Republicans have repeatedly used the homelessness crisis to attack Newsom and other California Democrats, including the likely presidential nominee Kamala Harris. |
| Chris Herring, a University of California, Los Angeles, sociology professor and expert on homelessness, noted that California authorities were already conducting sweeps prior to the supreme court ruling, which simply expanded governments’ abilities to criminalize people without offering shelter. While the order encourages jurisdictions to “humanely remove encampments”, Herring noted that it does not require officials to offer shelter and does not discourage criminalization. | Chris Herring, a University of California, Los Angeles, sociology professor and expert on homelessness, noted that California authorities were already conducting sweeps prior to the supreme court ruling, which simply expanded governments’ abilities to criminalize people without offering shelter. While the order encourages jurisdictions to “humanely remove encampments”, Herring noted that it does not require officials to offer shelter and does not discourage criminalization. |
| “I read this as giving the green light to a harsher approach … It sends a clear message to municipalities that even if you do not have shelter available, you can go through with this. The law now allows cities and counties to cite and incarcerate individuals for sleeping outside.” | “I read this as giving the green light to a harsher approach … It sends a clear message to municipalities that even if you do not have shelter available, you can go through with this. The law now allows cities and counties to cite and incarcerate individuals for sleeping outside.” |
| Newsom has repeatedly sought to blame the courts for the lack of progress on the state’s homelessness crisis over the last year, suggesting that laws defending the rights of the unhoused were preventing the state from tackling encampments. Now that the supreme court has given governments even more authority to criminalize unsheltered people, Newsom was potentially looking to shift the pressure back onto to localities, Herring said: “I do read this largely as a political statement.” | Newsom has repeatedly sought to blame the courts for the lack of progress on the state’s homelessness crisis over the last year, suggesting that laws defending the rights of the unhoused were preventing the state from tackling encampments. Now that the supreme court has given governments even more authority to criminalize unsheltered people, Newsom was potentially looking to shift the pressure back onto to localities, Herring said: “I do read this largely as a political statement.” |
| While Newsom praised the supreme court ruling for removing the “legal ambiguities that have tied the hands of local officials for years”, other California Democrats were critical, including the Los Angeles mayor, Karen Bass, who strongly condemned criminalization. | While Newsom praised the supreme court ruling for removing the “legal ambiguities that have tied the hands of local officials for years”, other California Democrats were critical, including the Los Angeles mayor, Karen Bass, who strongly condemned criminalization. |
| Newsom’s order notes that the state has invested more than $24bn to respond to the crisis under his administration, including $1bn to assist localities in removing encampments, and $3.3bn for expanded housing for the homeless population. | Newsom’s order notes that the state has invested more than $24bn to respond to the crisis under his administration, including $1bn to assist localities in removing encampments, and $3.3bn for expanded housing for the homeless population. |
| Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco, which has challenged the city’s sweeps in court, said people living on state property near interstates were generally there as a last resort: “The folks the governor is referring to are in really desperate situations. They’re trying to stay out of the way. They’re living near freeways where it’s really noisy, the air quality is bad and the conditions are horrible, because they have no other choice. Arresting them is not going to change that.” | Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness in San Francisco, which has challenged the city’s sweeps in court, said people living on state property near interstates were generally there as a last resort: “The folks the governor is referring to are in really desperate situations. They’re trying to stay out of the way. They’re living near freeways where it’s really noisy, the air quality is bad and the conditions are horrible, because they have no other choice. Arresting them is not going to change that.” |
| She added, “When encampments are swept, it makes the problem worse. They lose their paperwork. They’re cited and arrested. They can’t pay fines and fees. Their credit is destroyed. Warrants are issued. They lose contact with their social workers. Any modicum of stability is immediately eliminated.” | She added, “When encampments are swept, it makes the problem worse. They lose their paperwork. They’re cited and arrested. They can’t pay fines and fees. Their credit is destroyed. Warrants are issued. They lose contact with their social workers. Any modicum of stability is immediately eliminated.” |
| The San Francisco mayor, London Breed, also a Democrat, said that starting in August the city would launch a “very aggressive” effort to remove encampments following the supreme court decision. | The San Francisco mayor, London Breed, also a Democrat, said that starting in August the city would launch a “very aggressive” effort to remove encampments following the supreme court decision. |
| Read more on California’s homelessness crisis: | |
| US supreme court rules unhoused people sleeping outside can be fined and jailed | |
| California’s homelessness crisis is the worst in the US. But who is struggling the most? | |
| 2,100 deaths in 10 years: how fentanyl is devastating Los Angeles’ unhoused community | |
| US supreme court rules unhoused people sleeping outside can be fined and jailed | |
| California’s homelessness crisis is the worst in the US. But who is struggling the most? | |
| 2,100 deaths in 10 years: how fentanyl is devastating Los Angeles’ unhoused community | |
| The Associated Press contributed reporting | The Associated Press contributed reporting |