California Governor Gavin Newsom recently issued an executive order calling on local governments to “urgently address homeless encampments,” it was reported on Thursday. press release.
Governor Newsom has maintained for decades that solving homelessness in California is one of his top priorities, yet under his leadership the problem has only worsened: California currently has approximately 181,000 homeless people, yet only 71,000 emergency shelter beds. Calm Matters.
It’s unclear where Newsom wants local governments to relocate homeless residents, but he has urged leaders to do so quickly.
Governor Newsom said his sudden announcement to clean up the encampments was prompted by a U.S. Supreme Court decision handed down a month ago.
“The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson gives local governments the tools and authority to address unsafe encampments and provide necessary resources to encampment residents,” the governor’s office said in a press release Thursday.
The high court ruling found that laws banning homeless people from sleeping in public places are not “cruel and unusual punishment” and therefore such restrictions are not unconstitutional.
“I can think of no greater urgency or frustration than addressing California’s encampment problem,” Newsom said in a video posted to social media. “We’ve committed over $1 billion to date to encampment solution grants.”
“Courts have previously denied local governments, including states, the ability to clean up many of these encampments,” Newsom argued.
“It’s time to stop,” he continued. “It’s time to take urgent action at the local level to clean up these sites.”
Governor Newsom called on local governments to “do their jobs.”
In the post XHe declared, “There are no more excuses. We have served our time. We have served our money.”
Republicans have speculated that Newsom’s sense of urgency may have something to do with Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent announcement that she plans to run as the Democratic presidential nominee in 2024. Harris is the California Republican nominee. The prison-to-homeless pipeline Republican lawmakers, accused of supporting soft-on-crime policies, called the move to clean up the state’s roads a “public relations stunt” by Newsom, who is emerging as a potential vice presidential candidate.
The governor previously cleaned up streets in San Francisco. U.S.-China Summit It’s scheduled for late 2023. Newsom acknowledged the decision was motivated by the incident.
“I know there are people who are saying, ‘They’re just cleaning up the place because all those flashy leaders are coming to town,’ and that’s true, because it’s true, but that’s been true for months and months before APEC. [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit]we have had discussions,” he said.
In response to Governor Newsom’s new executive order calling for the removal of encampments, State Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) said, “Finally!”
“It’s unsafe and unsanitary for people to live and die on the streets and in our parks,” Jones said. Fox News Digital“Earlier this year, I submitted a proposal that would have provided an even more effective and faster solution. I am cautiously optimistic that the Governor has finally recognized the urgency of this issue, but it is years later than necessary. Californians want a government that is for the people, not a PR blitz.”
Earlier this year, all state Senate Republicans, including Jones, Senate Bill 1011A bipartisan effort to ban sleeping in public places if there is space for shelters. Some Senate Democrats rejected the measure.
Sen. Roger Niello (R-Fair Oaks) called Newsom’s order a “good step,” but noted it “will need significant duration to ensure its effectiveness.”
“Homelessness is one of the greatest challenges facing us today, and it is essential that we take swift, decisive and effective action to address it,” Niello said.
Republican Rep. James Gallagher wrote: X In response to the executive order, he said, “Big promises. No action.” [B]No locals. No coverage. The same thing over and over again.”
Last week, Governor Newsom vetoed a Assembly bill that, if enacted, would have required his administration to submit an annual assessment of funding provided to homeless housing, assistance and prevention programs.
“Gavin likes spending money. Surveillance? Not so much,” Gallagher says. Said.
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