(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday to direct state agencies on how to remove homeless encampments, one month after a Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to ban sleeping camps. outdoors in public spaces.
Newsom’s order takes aim at the thousands of tents and makeshift shelters across the state that line highways, fill shopping mall parking lots and fill city parks. The order makes clear that the decision to remove camps remains in local hands.
The order comes after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this summer that allowed cities to enforce bans on outdoor sleeping in public spaces. The case was the most significant on the issue to come before the high court in decades and comes as cities across the country grapple with the politically fraught question of how to deal with a growing number of people without a permanent place to live and with public frustration. on issues related to health and safety.
The Newsom administration wrote in support of the cities’ argument that previous decisions, including one that prohibited San Francisco from clearing encampments until more shelter beds were available, prevented the state from solving a critical problem.
“There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part,” Newsom said in a statement.
While Newsom cannot order local officials to act, his administration can exert pressure by withholding money for counties and cities.
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California is home to about a third of the nation’s homeless population, a problem that has dogged Newsom since he took office. Newsom touted that his administration has spent about $24 billion on cleaning streets and sheltering people, but acknowledged the stubbornness of the issue. Newsom’s administration also came under fire recently after a state audit found that the state did not consistently monitor whether the massive outlay of public money actually improved the situation.
Newsom has worked hard to resolve the issue. He threw his political weight behind a ballot measure earlier this year to allow the state to borrow nearly $6.4 billion to build 4,350 housing units, which passed by a razor-thin margin.
The order comes as Republicans step up their criticism of California and the homelessness crisis, while Vice President Kamala Harris — a former California district attorney, attorney general and senator — launches her presidential campaign. Harris entered the race over the weekend after President Joe Biden announced she would not seek re-election. Newsom himself has presidential ambitions.
The timing of the executive order is “curious,” said California political analyst Brian Sobel, but he doubts Newsom’s move will have much impact on Harris’ campaign.
“Harris’ problem is not in California, because California is a done deal,” he said. “Where she needs to do well on issues like this is in the swing states.”
Instead, the order is a logical step for Newsom, who called himself the state’s “homeless czar” and has made homelessness a signature political issue in recent years, said Wesley Hussey, a political science professor at California. State University, Sacramento.
“I don’t think it’s driven as much by the presidential race, but it’s definitely something Newsom cares a lot about,” Hussey said. “If you put this in the political context of the election, it doesn’t magically solve the problem.”
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Newsom’s decision drew praise from local elected officials and business groups, who said they had no options for dealing with homeless encampments before the Supreme Court ruling. San Francisco Mayor London Breed recently said the city will begin an “aggressive” campaign to clear encampments across the city in August. His office noted that the governor’s order does not affect city operations.
“I applaud Governor Newsom’s emphasis on urgency,” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member Kathryn Barger said in a statement. “He rightly points out that the local government remains in charge of homeless encampment removals. develop housing and shelter solutions in conjunction with the support services provided by the county government.”
The homeless and their advocates say the sweeps are cruel and a waste of taxpayer money. They say the answer is more housing, not repression.
Under Newsom’s direction, state agencies — including state parks and the transportation department — would be required to prioritize cleaning up campsites that pose safety risks, such as those camping along waterways. Authorities must give advance notice to vacate, connect homeless people to local services, and help store their belongings for at least 60 days. Local cities and counties are urged to adopt similar protocols.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
