California Senate Republicans are calling out Gov. Gavin Newsom for what they say is a “PR stunt,” after he announced a new initiative to dismantle homeless encampments across the state through an executive order.
The Republicans ripped Newsom in a press release after he announced the initiative Thursday. His office said the governor has ordered “state agencies and departments to adopt clear policies that urgently address homeless encampments while respecting the dignity and well-being of all Californians.”
“It’s about damn time! Letting people live and die on the streets or in our parks is unsafe and unsanitary,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones, R-San Diego.
“I introduced a proposal earlier this year that would have provided even greater and more immediate solutions. While I am cautiously optimistic that the governor has finally taken note of the urgency of this problem, albeit many years later than needed, Californians deserve government for the people, not the PR hits.”
Senate Bill 1011, introduced by Jones and all Senate Republicans in February, was a bipartisan effort that would have gone even further in clearing homeless encampments but was rejected by Democrats in the Senate Committee on Public Safety.
Senate Republicans have introduced a number of bills in recent years to address the rampant and growing California homeless crisis but have been largely met with resistance from Newsom and Democrats.
“Homelessness is one of the biggest challenges we face today, and it is imperative we take swift, decisive and effective action to address it,” said Sen. Roger Niello, R-Fair Oaks. “This executive order is a good step, but it will require significant follow-through to ensure its effectiveness.”
The statement from Newsom’s office said the executive order “directs state agencies and departments to adopt humane and dignified policies to urgently address encampments on state property, including by taking necessary and deliberate steps to notify and support the people inhabiting the encampment prior to removal.”
The governor claims this initiative was prompted by the Supreme Court’s decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson last month, which found laws restricting sleeping in public areas did not violate the constitutional restriction against “cruel and unusual punishment.”
“The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets,” Newsom said. “There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.”
The order is expected to affect tens of thousands of homeless Californians who have set up long-term encampments and occupied entire city blocks with open-air drug use.
“Big promises. No action. Blame locals. No press. Rinse and repeat,” GOP Assembly Leader James Gallagher wrote in response to Newsom’s order.
In April, California GOP leaders called for more accountability after an audit indicated the state spent around $24 billion to tackle the homeless crisis over the past five years but did not consistently track whether the huge outlay of public money did anything to actually improve the problem.
A state auditor’s report found that despite roughly $24 billion spent on homeless and housing programs during the 2018-2023 fiscal years, the problem didn’t improve in many cities.
According to a report from the Public Policy Institute of California, the 2023 Point-in-time (PIT) count released in December estimated that more than 180,000 people were homeless in California, up 6% from the previous count.
