By James Myers, OAN Staff
Thursday, July 25, 2024 11:58 AM
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday instructing state agencies on how to remove homeless encampments, a move that comes one month after a Supreme Court ruling that allowed cities to ban people from camping in public spaces.
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Governor Gavin Newsom’s (D-Calif.) new order comes as thousands of tents and makeshift shelters fill California’s highways, shopping centers, city parks and sidewalks.
But the latest order makes clear that the decision to remove homeless camps remains a local decision.
The case, which has reached the Supreme Court, comes as cities across the country struggle with how to address public frustrations over homeless exclusion and health and safety issues.
“There are no more excuses — it’s time for everyone to do their part,” Governor Newsom said in a statement.
The order cannot force local officials to act, but the Newsom administration can pressure them by withholding funding from counties and cities across the state.
California currently has nearly one-third of the nation’s homeless population.
But Newsom maintains his administration has spent nearly $24 billion to clean up streets and house the homeless.
Despite Newsom’s claims, his administration has come under fire after a recent state audit revealed the state failed to track whether huge amounts of public money actually improved conditions.
The order comes as Republicans have been critical of California and its homelessness crisis since Vice President Kamala Harris, a former California district attorney, launched her presidential campaign this week.
The case was the most significant regarding homelessness to come before the Supreme Court in decades.
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