A U.S. Supreme Court ruling giving local governments more power over cleaning up homeless camps has opened political rifts among California Democrats over homelessness.
While many have praised the ruling, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass slammed the decision and is now vetoing an executive order from California Governor Gavin Newsom to clean up the city.
“Criminalizing homelessness and poverty is dangerous.”
“The Supreme Court’s decision leaves no room for excuses. This executive order is intended to further that paradigm and instill a sense of urgency in local governments to get the job done.” statement About a month after the verdict, Governor Newsom made the following comment:
Prior to this ruling, cities were required to provide homeless people with alternative places to sleep before closing tent cities or encampments. The Supreme Court ruled along partisan lines in June that cities can decide who can sleep in public spaces without having to provide alternative accommodations.
Newsom’s order is not mandatory, but could jeopardize state funding if cities refuse, and it also requires local officials to provide 48 hours’ notice before cleaning up encampments and to remove personal belongings for 60 days afterward.
base Revealed She will not follow orders.
“I don’t see this as an ultimate solution to homelessness,” she said. “How are they going to pay the fines? What happens if they don’t pay? Are there going to be warrants issued and will this be an excuse to put someone in jail?”
Some members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors agreed with Bass.
“Let’s be clear,” said commission Chairwoman Lindsay Holbert, “Criminalizing homelessness and poverty is dangerous. It doesn’t work and it will not work in Los Angeles County.”
Another prominent Democrat on Newsom’s side is San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who is seeking re-election.
“We’ve had to change from a city of compassion to a city of accountability,” she said of the recent encampment cleanup, “and I’ve been leading the effort to address this issue differently.”
Meanwhile, California Republican lawmakers criticized Governor Newsom’s actions as a publicity stunt.
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