Gov. Newsom orders state agencies to remove homeless encampments

Homeless tents are lined up on Skid Row, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Los Angeles. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order directing state agencies “to move urgently to address dangerous” homeless encampments and clear them from state land while giving city and local leaders a push to do the same. (Sarah Reingewirtz/The Orange County Register via AP)

LOS ANGELES – Southern California elected officials were weighing in Friday on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to issue an executive order for the removal of homeless encampments in the state while adding that local authorities will decide on the removals.

The guidance follows a decision by the US Supreme Court earlier this summer allowing cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces.

“The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets,” Newsom said in a statement. “There are simply no more excuses.”

Newsom’s order directs state agencies to move urgently to address encampments while supporting and assisting the individuals living in them. It also provides guidance for cities and counties to do the same.

“We must act with urgency to address dangerous encampments,” Newsom said.

The governor added that homeless people are subjected to living in “extreme weather, fires, predatory and criminal activity, and widespread substance use.”

While Newsom lacks the authority to mandate action, he can influence local decisions through the allocation of billions in state funds for homelessness initiatives.

“I applaud Governor Newsom’s emphasis on urgency,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement.

“He rightfully points out that local government remains at the helm of homeless encampment removals. Cities have an obligation to develop housing and shelter solutions in tandem with support services provided by county government. This formula, which is largely based on partnerships, is how we can deliver permanent results. No single entity can achieve that.”

The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision on June 28 reversed a ruling by a San Francisco appeals court that found outdoor sleeping bans amount to cruel and unusual punishment when there is no available shelter space for the homeless. The ruling of the Supreme Court’s majority found the 8th Amendment does not apply to outdoor sleeping bans.

The case originated in the rural Oregon town of Grants Pass, which appealed a ruling striking down local ordinances that fined people $295 for sleeping outside after tents began crowding public parks. The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over nine Western states, ruled in 2018 that such bans violate the 8th Amendment of those who are in areas where there are not enough shelter beds.

“This ruling must not be used as an excuse for cities across the country to attempt to arrest their way out of this problem or hide the homelessness crisis in neighboring cities or in jail,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said following the Supreme Court’s decision. “Neither will work, neither will save lives and that route is more expensive for taxpayers than actually solving the problem.”

Last month, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) announced the total number of people experiencing homelessness in the Los Angeles region had dropped slightly in 2024, reversing a five-year upward trend — though the numbers remain significant.

Specifically, there were 75,312 unhoused people in Los Angeles County in 2024 compared to 75,518 in 2023, a dip of 0.27 percent; and there were 45,252 unhoused individuals in the city of LA in 2024 compared to 46,260 in 2023, a drop of 2.2 percent.

Those numbers were gathered during an annual point-in-time survey conducted by hundreds of volunteers all across the region from Jan. 24-26. (CNS)