California governor says: ‘no more excuses,’ orders homeless encampments cleared

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order instructing state agencies to adopt policies to clear homeless camps on state properties and asked local governments to use the “substantial funding” provided by the state to take similar action.

The executive order issued Thursday comes a month after the U.S. Supreme Court’s sweeping Grants Pass decision in which the high court reversed a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Martin v. city of Boise, Idaho, that restricted the ability of states and cities to clear homeless encampments unless “adequate” shelter options are available.

Newsom and some California city leaders had said previously they were prevented from doing anything to clear up encampments because of the Boise decision and rulings in other cases in line with that decision.

“In the past, the courts have denied the ability of the local governments, [and the state], to clean up many of these encampments,” Newsom said in a video statement released in lockstep with his order.

But now, Newsom said, “there are no more excuses, it’s time to move with urgency at the local level to clean up these sites.”

With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, Newsom contends local governments now have the tools and authority to address dangerous encampments and help provide those residing in encampments with the resources they need.

“This executive order directs state agencies to move urgently to address dangerous encampments while supporting and assisting the individuals living in them — and provides guidance for cities and counties to do the same,” Newsom said.

The governor directed state agencies and departments to adopt policies and plans consistent with the California Department of Transportation’s encampment policy. Since July 2021, California has resolved more than 11,000 encampments, and has removed 248,275 cubic yards of debris from encampments along the state rights of way, according to the governor’s office.

“The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets,” Newsom said. “There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.”

The state has invested over $1 billion to clean up these encampments; and $24 billion over the past several years in various programs to combat homelessness and for affordable housing projects, he said.

States and cities have approved and spent billions in bonds to address both homelessness and affordable housing.

The Big City Mayors, a coalition of the state’s largest cities, lauded Newsom’s order in a statement from its chair, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.

The mayors “welcome the governor’s renewed direction and sense of urgency to address homelessness with tangible and meaningful action,” Gloria said.

 ”All of us — mayors, other local elected officials, state leaders and housed community members — must be united in acting with purpose to create more shelter options and housing for those in need,” Gloria said.