Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered California state officials on Thursday to begin dismantling thousands of homeless encampments, the nation’s most sweeping response to a recent Supreme Court ruling that gave governments greater authority to remove homeless people from their streets.
More than in any other state, homeless encampments have been a wrenching issue in California, where housing costs are among the nation’s highest, complicating the many other factors that contribute to homelessness. An estimated 180,000 people were homeless last year in California, and most of them were unsheltered. Unlike New York City, most jurisdictions in California do not guarantee a right to housing.
Mr. Newsom, a Democrat, called on state officials and local leaders to “humanely remove encampments from public spaces” and act “with urgency,” prioritizing those that most threaten health and safety.
Some of his own agencies are expected to take action immediately on state property. He cannot force local governments to sweep encampments, but can exert political pressure through the billions of dollars that the state controls for municipalities to address homelessness.
His executive order could divide Democratic local leaders in California. Some have already begun to clear encampments, while others have denounced the decision from the majority conservative Supreme Court as opening the door to inhumane measures to solve a complex crisis.
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