STORY: California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday said the state would begin removing homeless encampments.
That’s after a Supreme Court decision in late June that upheld anti-camping laws used to ticket and fine people living on the streets.
California had 180,000 homeless people in 2023, more than any other state, and the majority slept outdoors, according to U.S. housing officials.
Newsom announced the order to remove encampments in a video posted on X.
“It’s time to move with urgency at the local level to clean up these sites, to focus on public health and focus on public safety. There are no longer any excuses.”
The Supreme Court decision reversed a ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that found punishing people for sleeping outdoors when no shelter beds are available was unconstitutional.
Some agencies and local governments had refrained from removing the encampments because of the Ninth Circuit ruling while others faced lawsuits after they cleared camps.
Newsom told state agencies to prioritize removing camps that pose health and safety risks, provide at least 48 hours notice to the people affected, request social services for them and store their belongings for at least 60 days.
California’s transportation department has removed over 11,000 camps since July 2021 using similar policies.
Critics of Newsom’s move cite a Rand study showing that such cleanups in Los Angeles did not reduce the homeless population long term.
They say that more affordable and supportive housing is needed to effectively address the issue.
