California Gov. Gavin Newsom had a message for local governments on Thursday: Clear out homeless camps now or miss out on state aid next year.
Standing in front of an evacuated homeless camp in Los Angeles, Newsom vowed to strip state funding from cities and counties that aren’t doing enough to move people out of camps and into shelters. The governor joined the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, in clearing several camps in the area on Thursday.
Jason Armond
“I want to see results,” Newsom told reporters at a news conference. “I don’t want to read about it. I don’t want to see the data. I want to see it.”
Thursday’s announcement was part of Newsom’s escalating campaign to force local governments to clear more homeless camps. Newsom last month ordered state agencies to clear camps on state land. He also pressured local governments to do the same, even though he cannot legally force them to take action.
The executive order came after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling that said governments could not force people to leave encampments if there were no shelter beds available. Newsom’s administration wrote in support of the cities’ arguments that previous rulings, including one that barred San Francisco from clearing encampments, had prevented the state from solving a critical problem.
California is home to about a third of the nation’s homeless population, a problem that has dogged Newsom since taking office. Thousands of tents and makeshift shelters have sprung up across the state along highways and in parking lots and public parks.
The state has spent about $24 billion under Newsom’s leadership to clean up streets and house people. That includes at least $3.2 billion in grants given to local governments to build shelters, clear encampments and connect homeless people to services as they see fit, Newsom said.
These are unprecedented investments by the state, he added, but his government will reinvest that money from January.
“This is not about criminalization,” Newsom said. “What is criminal is neglecting people who are struggling, suffering and dying in our care.”
It’s not the first time Newsom has vowed to cut funding over what he sees as local governments’ lackluster efforts to address homelessness. In 2022, he threatened to withhold $1 billion in homelessness spending from cities and counties over the lack of progress. Last month, his office pulled a $10 million grant sent to San Diego to build tiny homes, saying the county wasn’t acting quickly enough.
San Francisco’s mayor has been more aggressive in clearing camps.
But others, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and LA County officials, have pushed back, saying the governor’s approach won’t work. Newsom on Thursday praised Bass’s work in successfully reducing the number of people sleeping outdoors in Los Angeles, adding that his frustration is focused on the counties.
The California State Association of Counties, which represents 58 counties in California, said it would not intervene in the governor’s announcement Thursday. A spokesperson instead referred to a statement in response to Newsom’s order last month that the counties “will continue to work with the governor and share his sense of urgency.”
