California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday was expected to release a state model for cities and counties to address homeless encampments with urgency and dignity, according to a news release.
The ordinance tasks local governments with immediately cleaning up dangerous and unhealthy encampments and connecting unhoused people with shelter and services, the release says.
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WATCH HERENewsom is calling on all local governments in California to act without delay and use the authority given to them by the U.S. Supreme Court to address encampments. Funds to execute the new ordinance will come from Propositon 1, the state's $3.3 billion measure passed in March 2024, according to the governor's office.
The funds were set to be allocated starting Monday to communities statewide to expand behavioral health housing and treatment options for the most seriously ill and homeless in the state, the release said.
"There’s nothing compassionate about letting people die on the streets," Newsom said in the release. "Local leaders asked for resources — we delivered the largest state investment in history. They asked for legal clarity — the courts delivered. Now, we’re giving them a model they can put to work immediately, with urgency and with humanity, to resolve encampments and connect people to shelter, housing, and care. The time for inaction is over. There are no more excuses."
Newsom has been a fierce advocate for unhoused people since he took office, providing local communities with more than $27 billion to address homelessness.
The key provisions of the ordinance can be modified based on local need, the governor's office says. They include:
- A prohibition on persistent camping in one location
- A prohibition on encampments that block free passage on sidewalks
- A requirement that local officials provide notice and make every reasonable effort to identify and offer shelter prior to clearing an encampment
The ordinance also contains guidance for local communities to take a balanced approach to encampments, practicing compassion and care while clearing unhoused people from the streets.
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SIGN UP Newsom was scheduled to make an announcement at 1 p.m. Monday. For more information on the new ordinance and how local governments are executing it, visit accountability.ca.gov.
