California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) plans to sign an executive order calling on state officials to begin dismantling the vast homeless camps plaguing the state after the Supreme Court recently ruled that doing so does not constitute “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment.
Members of Newsom’s administration said agencies across the state will be ordered to act “with urgency and dignity” on Thursday. The New York Times report.
While the executive order does not allow California local governments to be forced to step up efforts to combat encampments, Newsom reportedly intends to “use billions of dollars in state funds to exert political pressure on local governments to address homelessness.”
The move occurred since late June. City of Grants Pass v. Johnson VerdictOregon city Ban About homeless residents Trying to sleep outdoors.
In his majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch expressed sympathy for homeless people and the complexity of the issue, but argued that laws banning encampments are “general” and the Eighth Amendment is an “insufficient basis” for challenging them.
Gorsuch argued that the appropriate forum for addressing homelessness is not a federal court, but a democratically elected government.
“Today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision gives state and local officials crucial authority to implement and enforce policies to remove unsafe encampments from our streets,” said Governor Newsom. Said June 28 press release“This decision removes legal ambiguity that for too long has tied local officials’ hands and limited their ability to implement commonsense measures to protect the safety and welfare of their communities.”
“California remains committed to respecting the dignity and basic human needs of all people, and the state will continue to work compassionately to provide homeless people with the resources they need to improve their lives,” the governor added.
While Governor Newsom approved the ruling, some mayors across the state expressed disappointment.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (Democrat) Condemned Supreme Court decision is a “pretext” for cities to “arrest their way out” of the homelessness crisis:
“Today’s decision is not surprising given the makeup of the Court, but it is disappointing nonetheless. Cities across the country should not use this decision as an excuse to try to get away with arrests or hide their homelessness in neighboring cities or prisons. Neither approach works, neither saves lives, and neither approach is more costly to taxpayers than actually solving the problem.
The only way to address this crisis is to bring people back indoors with housing and supportive services. The City of Los Angeles will continue to lead with this approach that has been successful in bringing thousands more Angelenos indoors last year than the year before. We cannot go back. We must continue to innovate and move forward with intention and urgency until every person experiencing homelessness has access to housing, services and supports.
Meanwhile, San Francisco Mayor London Breed (D) voiced support for the ruling and Newsom’s future anti-encampment policies, saying city officials plan to take a “very aggressive and firm stance on relocating encampments” starting in August and may begin suing homeless people who refuse to provide shelter.
Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris (R) said he was “preparing the bulldozers” following the Supreme Court decision. Times report.
The media estimates that 180,000 people will be homeless in California by 2023, most of them without a place to live.
“The state has been working hard to address this crisis on our streets,” Governor Newsom said in a statement obtained by the magazine.
“There are no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.”
