As frustration intensifies over street homelessness, Gov. Gavin Newsom is urging local governments across California to effectively ban public camping and move faster to close dangerous encampments.
On Monday, Newsom released a template ordinance that cities and counties can adopt to prohibit and clear camps. While jurisdictions aren’t required to approve the measure, it represents the latest move by the governor to focus responsibility for alleviating the crisis on local officials after the state has spent unprecedented billions in recent years to move people off the street.
“The time for inaction is over,” Newsom said in a statement. “There are no more excuses.”
Newsom’s office outlined three main provisions in the model ordinance. They include a ban on “persistent camping in one location,” a prohibition on encampments that block sidewalks and passageways, and a requirement that local officials “make every reasonable effort” to offer homeless people shelter before clearing camps.
The model ordinance does not outline specific penalties, which would be up to local governments to determine.
The announcement comes almost a year after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling granted officials the authority to enforce strict camping bans and clear encampments even when beds aren’t available in homeless shelters. Last year, Newsom ordered state agencies to close more camps and called on local governments to do the same.
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Following the ruling, the Bay Area’s largest cities, including San Jose and Oakland, have ramped up sweeps. Fremont adopted a strict encampment ban in February. And San Francisco has begun citing and arresting more people for public camping.
In San Jose, officials are now considering a controversial proposal by Mayor Matt Mahan to cite and arrest homeless residents who turn down multiple shelter offers.
According to a poll last month by Politico and UC Berkeley, about 37% of California voters support arresting homeless people if they decline shelter. Another 24% of voters said they “somewhat” agree, while 38% oppose the approach.
Along with the model ordinance, Newsom plans to release $3.3 billion for local governments to expand mental health and addiction facilities through Proposition 1, a bond measure voters narrowly approved last year. It was not immediately clear whether Newsom sought to tie the funding to adopting his model ordinance.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.