Governor orders urgent action on homeless encampments statewide

– Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order today directing state agencies to urgently address homeless encampments “while respecting the dignity and safety of Californians experiencing homelessness,” according to a press release from the governor’s office. The governor’s order follows the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Grants Pass v Johnson and urges local governments to use substantial state funding to take similar action.

“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,” said Governor Newsom. “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.”

Newsom’s executive order mandates state agencies and departments to adopt humane policies to address encampments on state property. These measures include notifying and supporting the people inhabiting the encampments before removal. Governor Newsom has invested over $24 billion across multiple state agencies and departments, including billions to assist local jurisdictions in providing services and support to people living in encampments. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, these investments helped lift more than 165,000 people out of homelessness and into interim or permanent housing.

The order aligns state agencies’ policies with the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) existing encampment policy. Since July 2021, California has resolved more than 11,000 encampments and removed 248,275 cubic yards of debris from encampments along state right-of-ways in preparation for Clean California projects. Caltrans prioritizes encampments that threaten community safety and health, provides advance notice of clearance, works with local service providers, and stores personal property collected at the site for at least 60 days.

Governor Newsom also encourages local governments to apply for $3.3 billion in competitive grant funding from Proposition 1 to expand the behavioral health continuum and provide care for individuals experiencing mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Proposition 1 includes a $6.4 billion Behavioral Health Bond for treatment settings and housing with services and reforms to the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA). The state released the Proposition 1 Behavioral Health Services Act: Housing Supports Primer in July to guide counties on spending the projected $950 million annual BHSA revenue on housing interventions.

Governor Newsom’s administration has developed a Statewide Action Plan for Preventing and Ending Homelessness and demanded unprecedented accountability from local governments to address the crisis. Investments include $4.85 billion for the homeless, Housing Assistance and Prevention Grants, $1 billion in Encampment Resolution Funding, and $3.3 billion for Homekey to rapidly expand housing for persons experiencing homelessness.

A copy of today’s executive order can be found here.