Newsom Orders California Agencies to Remove Homeless Encampments

“There are simply no more excuses,” Newsom said in a statement on Thursday. “It’s time for everyone to do their part.”

The governor’s crackdown in California is aimed at the thousands of tents and makeshift shelters across the state that line freeways and fill city parks. The move encourages local governments to toughen enforcement, and it’s already being welcomed enthusiastically in cities such as San Jose.

“We’re eager to work with the state to responsibly and quickly remove encampments from state property in San Jose, especially those adjacent to neighborhoods and in dangerous areas along our freeways and on- and off-ramps,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement emailed to Commercial Observer.

“Here in San Jose we’re working around the clock to stand up safe, managed placements and require they be used — we appreciate Gov. Newsom’s order signaling that the state is also ready to solve this crisis with both compassion and urgency,” Mahan added.

Newsom has struggled to curb homelessness in major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, where he has poured over $20 billion into addressing high housing costs. California’s homeless population surged by 20 percent to more than 180,000 homeless residents last year, Bloomberg reported.

Under Newsom’s new order, agencies are advised to provide at least 48 hours notice to vacate homeless encampments. Agencies also must contact service providers and collect personal property from removal sites.

The burden of enforcing the state order to clear encampments from public sidewalks, streets and parks will fall to local cities and counties, which are already hindered by budget shortfalls.

Critics of the order said it will have little impact on San Francisco, where the homeless population rose to 8,323 people this year, according to a Point-in-Time survey.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.