‘No More Excuses!’ Newsom Rips LA County For Not Doing Enough While Personally Helping to Clear a Homeless Encampment

California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) joined Caltrans workers Thursday to help clear a homeless encampment under a Los Angeles freeway and spoke to FOX 11 anchor Elex Michaelson about what more needs to be done.

In late July, Newsom issued an executive order for state agencies to begin clearing homeless encampments throughout the state. “With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v Johnson, local governments now have the tools and authority to address dangerous encampments and help provide those residing in encampments with the resources they need,” said Newsom in a statement at the time.

“Are you satisfied with what cities and counties are doing because a place like L.A. city, L.A. County kind of pushing back on what you’re saying?” asked Michaelson.

“Yeah, I mean, cities, I’ve been pretty impressed. Counties? No, counties mean — you know, it’s a diffuse nature of leadership in a county. You have multiple members of boards of supervisors. Mayor, there’s one person accountable. Mayor Bass has done a wonderful job. She’s been a great partner. You’re seeing that down 10.4%, over 10% decline in unsheltered homeless population last year,” Newsom replied, adding:

So that’s progress. But I’m not seeing that at the county level. And with all due respect, there’s no more excuses. Everything the cities and counties have asked for. The state of California is delivered and the Supreme Court just delivered. So there’s no more excuses! So where’s the urgency?

Drop everything else, get out there and address the number one, two and three issue in this state with an intensity of purpose. That’s the kind of action I want to see. And again, for me, if we don’t see, it’s not complicated. We’re not going to continue to make the investments in communities that aren’t willing to do their part. I will redirect those dollars to counties and cities that are doing their part. And so that’s clear.

“What does that look like exactly? L.A. County, the biggest county in the state. One out of four people live in L.A. County, and a lot of county leaders are pushing back on this. So what does that mean for this place?” followed up Michaelson.

“Well, I mean, L.A. County can right now move forward with our conservatorship law. They refuse to do it. L.A. County right now could significant increase the number of people getting support under the care court, unprecedented support into the county, billions and billions of dollars over the last few years. And yet we’re seeing the same excuses I’ve seen for decades. And again, it’s not an indictment. These are my I say this sincerely, like, this is not a fake political thing. Actually, my friends, this is not an indictment of them. It’s an institutional construct where people are acting is like they’re victims and they’ve been using every excuse in the toolkit. I’m just done. Drop everything else, get out there and address the number one issue in the state in this, in this county, in this region,” responded an emphatic Newsom.

Watch the clip above.

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