Gov. Gavin Newsom orders state agencies to clear homeless camps and encourages cities to do so

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday requiring state agencies to remove homeless encampments in their jurisdictions and urging the state’s cities to follow suit.

Citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling that lessened restrictions on the enforcement of anti-camping laws, Newsom said in a statement that there is “no longer any barrier to local governments utilizing the substantial resources provided by the State, in tandem with federal and local resources, to address encampments with both urgency and humanity, or excuse for not doing so.”

Newsom characterized the proliferation of encampments as a health and safety hazard that requires immediate action.

“We must act with urgency to address dangerous encampments, which subject unsheltered individuals living in them to extreme weather, fires, predatory and criminal activity, and widespread substance use, harming their health, safety, and well-being, and which also threaten the safety and viability of nearby businesses and neighborhoods, and undermine the cleanliness and usability of parks, water supplies, and other public resources.”

The order requires state agencies to adopt policies modeled after a California Department of Transportation policy directive that “prioritizes removal of encampments that pose threats to life, health, and safety, while partnering with local governments and nonprofit providers to facilitate offers of shelter and supportive services in advance of removal.”

Though the governor cannot force cities and other jurisdictions to take action, he encouraged them to “take urgent action to humanely address encampments.”