California: Governor Newsom releases state model for cities and counties to immediately address encampments with urgency and dignity
The Californer/10313509

Trending...
News

May 12, 2025

Governor Newsom releases state model for cities and counties to immediately address encampments with urgency and dignity

What you need to know:  Governor Newsom today released a model ordinance for cities and counties to immediately address dangerous and unhealthy encampments and connect people experiencing homelessness with shelter and services. Backed in part by $3.3 billion in new Prop 1 funding being announced today, the Governor is calling on all local governments to act without delay and use their authority affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court to address encampments.

SACRAMENTO —  As part of California's ambitious push to tackle the nationwide homelessness crisis head-on, Governor Gavin Newsom released a model ordinance for cities and counties to address unhealthy and dangerous encampments. The Governor is calling on every local government to adopt and implement local policies without delay, backed by billions in state funding and authority affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court last year. The model ordinance follows and builds on the Governor's 2024 executive order, which urged all local jurisdictions to quickly address encampments and use state and local funding to connect people experiencing homelessness with the care and support they need.

This announcement is coupled with the release of $3.3 billion in voter-approved Proposition 1 funding, which will be made available later today to communities statewide to expand behavioral health housing and treatment options for the most seriously ill and homeless in California.

"There's nothing compassionate about letting people die on the streets. 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."

Governor Gavin Newsom

Giving locals the tools they need

Governor Newsom has been a fierce advocate for people experiencing homelessness, creating new resources to support local governments to help provide support and care. The Newsom administration has provided local communities with more than $27 billion to address homelessness, created stronger accountability laws and tools to ensure that every community is doing its part.

Today, Governor Newsom is continuing the state's support by sharing with local communities a model ordinance to help local governments set appropriate rules around encampments and establish effective enforcement procedures that prioritize notice, shelter, and services.  Encampments pose a serious public safety risk, and expose the people in encampments to increased risk of sexual violence, criminal activity, property damage and break-ins, and unsanitary conditions.

More on The Californer
Clear formal guidelines for clearing encampments

The state's model ordinance will be provided to every community as a starting point so jurisdictions can create their own policies.  It draws from the state's proven and workable approach — an approach that, since July 2021, has cleared more than 16,000 encampments and over 311,873 cubic yards of waste and debris from sites along the state right of way. These results demonstrate that the policy is effective and scalable, offering a sound, adoptable framework for jurisdictions to resolve encampments with urgency and dignity.

The ordinance contains key provisions, which may be modified based on local need, including:
  • 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 helps ensure that local communities take a balanced approach to address and prevent encampments with compassion and care.

The ordinance reflects the guidance for local governments created following the Governor's Executive Order, requiring at least 48 hours' notice, outreach to local service providers, and proper storage of items when addressing encampments.

Learn about your community's progress

Visit accountability.ca.gov, which brings together thousands of locally reported data points to provide an accurate picture of local communities' work to address homelessness, create housing, and create behavioral health supports.  The new accountability tool helps Californians quickly and clearly assess the progress being made by their local governments on these pressing issues and learn more about the process and funding provided to communities by the state.

Reversing decades of inaction

The Newsom Administration is making significant progress in reversing decades of inaction on homelessness. Between 2014 and 2019, unsheltered homelessness in California increased by approximately 37,000 people, more than double the increase seen during the Newsom Administration.

As states throughout the nation continue to see ever-higher increases in homeless populations, California has dramatically slowed the growth in homelessness and reduced the number of veterans and youth experiencing homelessness — more than any other state.

Homelessness continues to increase nationwide, increasing in 2024 by more than 18%, but California is bucking the national trend by holding the statewide increase to 3%. This is a lower rate than in 40 other states.

California is also one of the few states that have dramatically blunted the increases in unsheltered homelessness, holding it to 0.45%. By comparison, in 2024, nationwide unsheltered homelessness grew by nearly 7%. Unsheltered homelessness growth in other large population states like Illinois, Florida, New York, and Texas surpassed California's percentage and number. California experienced the largest decrease in veteran homelessness in the nation last year.

More on The Californer
View the model ordinance

Housing and homelessness, Press releases, Recent news

https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/facebook?linkur..." rel="nofollow external noopener">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/x?linkurl=https...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/email?linkurl=h...">https://www.addtoany.com/add_to/copy_link?linku...">Recent news

Governor Newsom proclaims Older Californians Month

May 9, 2025

News Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring May 2025 as "Older Californians Month."The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: PROCLAMATIONCalifornia is home to nearly nine million older residents who...

California launches new AI-powered chatbot that provides wildfire resources in 70 languages

May 9, 2025

News What you need to know: Ahead of peak wildfire season, California has launched "Ask CAL FIRE," an AI-powered chatbot on CAL FIRE's website offering wildfire resources and emergency information in 70 languages. SACRAMENTO — As California marks Wildfire Preparedness...

Governor Newsom appointed co-chair of U.S. Climate Alliance

May 9, 2025

News What you need to know: Governor Newsom has been appointed co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance – a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors working to achieve a net-zero carbon pollution future in America by advancing state-led, high-impact climate action....

Filed Under: Government, State
Show All News | Report Violation

0 Comments

Latest on The Californer