California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, said Thursday he would cut funding to cities and counties that fail to reduce homelessness, according to CNN.
Newsom issued an executive order. order In July, he approved the removal of homeless camps on state land. Now, the Golden State's governor is threatening to divert funds from jurisdictions that don't implement the policy, CNN reports. Reported. (RELATED: Gavin Newsom's budget proposal cuts public safety, expands climate change programs amid huge budget deficit)
“If we don't see tangible results, we will begin to redirect funding,” Governor Newsom said at a press conference on Thursday. According to To the LA Times.
Governor Newsom has spent more money on homelessness than any other state, yet the situation has only gotten worse. https://t.co/zZjfGAiIM5
— Carl Higbie (@CarlHigbie) August 9, 2024
The governor also criticized local governments for not doing enough to combat homelessness in California, despite having “unprecedented resources,” according to CNN.
“There are no more excuses. We have the money, we have the flexibility, we have the green light, we have state support and the American people are demanding it,” Governor Newsom said, according to the outlet. “I'm here representing 40 million Californians who are fed up. I'm here because I am one of them. I want to see results.”
Governor Newsom's July executive order calls for “state government agencies to take urgent action to address unsafe encampments.” press release.
The order comes after a Supreme Court ruling in June upheld Oregon cities' camping bans on public land, effectively giving government officials the power to regulate homeless encampments on public land. The state has also seen a multi-year surge in homelessness under his leadership, with California's homeless population increasing by 20% between 2019 and 2022, despite the state spending more than $24 billion to combat homelessness.
Prior to his executive order, Governor Newsom's policy proposals on homelessness often focused on creating more public housing. In 2023, Governor Newsom helped pass a $6.4 billion bond that would provide housing options for homeless people struggling with mental health and addiction issues. Meanwhile, in 2020, he signed an executive order to commit $150 million to housing homeless Californians during the COVID-19 pandemic. press release.
“This is not a political issue,” Gov. Newsom said of the need to remove the encampments during a press conference Thursday. “This is a sincere belief that this requires a local response. This is a crisis and we must act as a crisis.”
Newsom's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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