Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, May 12, urged California cities to clear homeless encampments, escalating efforts anew to address the makeshift tents that line underpasses, parks and streets up and down the state. The Democratic governor unveiled a blueprint for a camping ban for cities and counties to follow in announcing more than $3 billion in grants for facilities to treat homeless people and others who struggle with mental health and substance use disorders. "No more excuses," he said at a news conference, adding, "It is time to take back the streets. It’s time to take back the sidewalks. It’s time to take these encampments and provide alternatives."
Newsom, a former mayor of San Francisco, made homelessness a priority upon taking office in 2019, tackling statewide a problem long the purview of mayors and local officials. He has pressed on local leaders to think bigger to battle what has become one of the most pressing public health and safety issues in California − and one sure to dog Newsom if he runs for national office. He appears to be the first Democratic governor to offer a statewide blueprint for local encampment bans. California has more than 187,000 people in need of housing, a quarter of the US homeless population.
Last year the US Supreme Court made it easier for officials to ban homeless people from camping outside. Many Democratic leaders welcomed the ruling though advocates for homeless people criticized the conservative court's decision as cruel. Newsom's model ordinance includes prohibitions on "persistent camping" in one location and encampments blocking sidewalks. It asks cities and counties to provide notice and make every reasonable effort to identify and offer shelter before clearing an encampment.
Critics say punitive bans make it even harder for homeless people to find stable housing and employment. Organizations representing California's cities and counties have balked at the implication that they are to blame, and say they need sustained funding. "Clearing encampments may be the most visible part of this crisis, but without addressing the underlying root causes of homelessness, the cycle will only repeat itself," said Carolyn Coleman, executive director and CEO of the League of California Cities.
Housing and homeless advocates have applauded Newsom for pushing cities and counties to build more housing, especially for the unhoused. He also pushed a voter-approved measure last year for more treatment beds for homeless people with serious mental illnesses or substance abuse problems, so they don't wind up back in jail or on the streets still in need.
But in spite of the money spent, California has had a hard time delivering visible results. A state audit last year found that the state spent $24 billion on more more than 30 homeless and housing programs between 2018 and 2023 to tackle homelessness, but lacked the data to fully understand what worked and what didn't.