Gavin Newsom orders clearing of homeless camps in California after SCOTUS ruling

On Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order regarding the removal of homeless encampments across the state. The order comes after the Supreme Court ruled in June that cities can legally remove homeless people camping on public property.

The order directs state agencies and departments to adopt policies to address encampments on state properties consistent the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) existing encampment policy, according to a press release. The order also encourages local governments to adopt policies to clear up homeless encampments. According to the Associated Press, Newsom can’t order local authorities to act, but can apply pressure to localities by withholding state money.

The order stated that an estimated 180,000 people experienced homelessness in the state on any given night in 2023, including 123,000 who experienced unsheltered homelessness. The order also noted that the state has invested more than $24 billion under Newsom’s administration to address the state's homelessness crisis.

"While every jurisdiction must do more to address encampments, state and local agencies taking proactive steps to remove encampments have been stymied in those efforts by lawsuits and injunctions, leaving officials without the tools or guidance necessary to address the crisis on their street," the order stated.

Policies to be adopted by state agencies will include "site assessment in advance of removal operations to determine whether an encampment poses an imminent threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure such that exigent circumstances require immediate removal of the encampment," "as much advance notice to vacate as reasonable under the circumstances," "Contacting of service providers to request outreach services for persons experiencing homelessness at the encampment," and "Collection, labeling, and storage for at least 60 days of personal property collected at the removal site that is not a health or safety hazard."

"Local governments are encouraged to adopt policies consistent with this Order and to use all available resources and infrastructure, including resources provided by the State’s historic investments in housing and intervention programs where appropriate and available, to take action with the urgency this crisis demands to humanely remove encampments from public spaces, prioritizing those encampments that most threaten the life, health, and safety of those in and around them," the order added.

Newsom said in a statement following the signing, "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. The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets. There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part."