The Californer - California: What they are saying: Leaders throughout the state are applauding Governor Newsom's ongoing strategies to reduce homelessness

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Sep 4, 2025

What they are saying: Leaders throughout the state are applauding Governor Newsom's ongoing strategies to reduce homelessness

What you need to know: State and local leaders throughout California are applauding Governor Newsom's announcement of a new statewide task force to aggressively prioritize and deploy California's comprehensive network of services to quickly remove encampments on state rights-of-way and help connect people with wrap-around supportive services and shelter.

SACRAMENTO — Last week, Governor Newsom advanced California's work that is reducing homelessness throughout the state, by announcing a new statewide task force to prioritize and remove encampments and bring services and shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness along state rights-of-way in California's ten largest cities. Leaders from throughout California are praising the new initiative, as well as the state's effective strategies to keep communities clean and safe, and connect people with shelter and care.

Here's what they are saying:

Counties

Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem Supervisor Hilda Solis: "Homelessness across Los Angeles County has declined over the last two years, thanks to dedicated collaboration and investment from Governor Newsom. In Skid Row, which I represent, Encampment Resolution Fund grants from the State of California helped to move nearly 3,000 individuals into interim housing and over 1,600 into permanent housing, demonstrating what we can accomplish when we work together on our most pressing challenges. I applaud the Governor's commitment to partner with local jurisdictions to ensure our unhoused communities receive the services needed to transition into stable housing. Together, we'll continue reversing homelessness trends in California and improve the quality of life for all Angelenos."

Kern County Chair Supervisor Leticia Perez: "Kern County deserves safe and clean neighborhoods. This requires addressing unsafe homeless encampments quickly and humanly. I admire Governor Newsome for establishing the SAFE Taskforce, bringing together state agencies to collaborate with locals to clear encampments and connect people with the housing and care they need. Kern County has seen a reduction in its homeless population — this kind of partnership is critical to our success and I applaud the Governor for his bold and decisive action."

Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez: "We applaud the Governor's effort to clean up homeless encampments and help bring our homeless population off the streets, canals, alleyways and freeways and into services that wont just temporarily move them around but rather address the root issues causing the crisis: substance abuse, mental illness, and affordable housing challenges. This collaborative solution based approach will ensure our communities are clear and safer!"

Alameda County President David Haubert: "Alameda County is proud to have reduced overall homelessness by 3% as of our last PIT count, which we accomplished through targeted investment and enhanced coordination with our cities. Additional resources and partnership from the State, like the initiative announced today, will help us keep forward momentum on the most critical issue facing our communities."

Orange County Chair Supervisor Doug Chaffee: "It is vital for us to increase outreach and connect people with support. Through SAFE, the County and the State will humanely clear the encampments and assist individuals to access care and housing. To ensure SAFE works effectively, it is important that we support prevention efforts, ensuring that encampments don't continue."

Cities

Bakersfield Mayor, Karen Goh: "In partnership with the state, Bakersfield and other cities have taken bold action to move homeless persons off the streets and connect them to shelter and supportive services. While Bakersfield's 2025 Point-in-Time Count showed a 10.5% reduction in unsheltered homelessness, much work remains to be done. Bakersfield welcomes the collaborative resources of the statewide SAFE Task Force to clear encampments as we continue to pursue lasting solutions to California's mental health, substance use, and housing crisis."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass: "Street homelessness has declined in Los Angeles two years in a row, and with partnerships like this, that progress will continue. Homeless encampments, debris and graffiti located on highways and freeways are under state jurisdiction. I am glad that the Governor is continuing action to collaborate with local efforts. Los Angeles has bucked nationwide trends of increasing homelessness and Governor Newsom's announcement of a task force will help keep that momentum."

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Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty: "We are focused on providing outreach, engagement, and support, and enforcing our laws and ordinances. We appreciate the support from the Governor's Office and look forward to working together."

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson: "Long Beach has a strong history of working collaboratively with the state to successfully address encampments. Because state highways and rights of way are the state's responsibility, partnership is essential to clean up these areas. Governor Newsom's task force announced today is a proactive and welcome opportunity to work together with cities like Long Beach to deliver results more quickly and improve safety and quality of life for our residents."

San Francisco Mayor, Daniel Lurie: "The first thing you see when you get to San Francisco should be representative of the clean streets we have across the city. Under my administration, city government will no longer tolerate the conditions we're seeing on our on-ramps and off-ramps–and now we have the tools to fix it and support from our state partners," said Mayor Lurie. "Thank you to Governor Newsom and Caltrans for helping us deliver cleaner, safer streets for residents and visitors across our city."

Fresno Mayor, Jerry Dyer: "I applaud the Governor for being steadfast in his commitment to address homelessness, and for the resources he is committing at the local level. When state and local government work together, the community benefits. These task forces will serve to erase geographical boundaries enabling governmental agencies to eradicate encampments, regardless of their location."

Community representatives

Carolyn Coleman, CEO and Executive Director, League of California Cities: "Thanks in part to significant state investment, cities throughout California are seeing reductions in the growth of homelessness in their communities. Cities are working tirelessly to connect more people than ever to housing and services, and we're seeing progress. We know that addressing dangerous homeless encampments on state-owned land is also an essential part of the solution. That's why I'm glad to see the announcement that brings together state agencies to better support city efforts to clear them quickly and humanely."

Jim Wunderman President & CEO Bay Area Council: "Street encampments are the most visible manifestations of our decades long failure to address California's housing and homelessness crises. For far too long we have allowed encampments to grow in our cities while telling ourselves that there are no solutions to this problem and that the camps were somehow inevitable or the best that we can do. We applaud Gov. Newsom's bold leadership to end this nightmare, restore order to our public spaces and help get people the shelter, housing and services they need. We were aligned with Governor Newsom in 2024 and filed an Amicus brief with the US Supreme Court in the Grants Pass case to put an end to street camping and we are aligned with him today in support of this task force. Failure is no longer an option and it is long past time that we move our homeless neighbors indoors and get them the help that they need."

Ahmad Thomas, CEO Silicon Valley Leadership Group: "We welcome Governor Newsom's efforts to reduce homelessness in the Bay Area and across the state. Business leaders recognize the need for a comprehensive strategy to address this challenge in an effective, compassionate and thoughtful way. To date, the Governor's actions have led to a reduction in homelessness in our largest communities across California – which we must continue to build upon. Now with this new SAFE Task Force, the vital next steps can continue to be implemented – reducing encampments and helping find shelter and services for those who need them. We stand ready to support the Governor and all of our leaders across California working to implement solutions to address the complex challenge of homelessness in our communities."

Alonso Vivas, Senior Vice President & Executive Director Clean and Safe, Downtown San Diego Partnership: "We thank the Governor for his continued leadership to clean up encampments on state property, many of which are clustered around key gateways into Downtown San Diego. No Californian should live on the street, which is why we have been a constant advocate for compassionate and bold solutions to homelessness in our region. This state action has the promise to address some of the most chronic and visible homelessness challenges in our communities."

State Agencies

Cal Office of Emergency Services Director Nancy Ward: "Cal OES is proud to work with our partners in this important effort. A safe living space before an emergency is the foundation of community resilience. Thank you to Governor Newsom for making this a priority, bringing together state partner agencies, and helping ensure all Californians have access to safe and reliable shelter."

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California Health & Human Services Secretary Kim Johnson: "The SAFE Task Force reflects our commitment to addressing homelessness with urgency, compassion and a focus on long-term care and housing stability. Through this cross-agency effort, we are working together with local partners so that Californians living in unsafe encampments receive not only immediate shelter but also the full continuum of health and behavioral health support they need on a path to recovery and well-being."

California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Sean Duryee: "The California Highway Patrol is proud to be part of the SAFE Task Force, supporting our state and local partners in these critical operations. Our role is to provide essential public safety during encampment clearances and to help ensure these areas remain safe once they are cleared. By working together, we can protect the public, support local communities, and help connect individuals to the housing and services they need."

California Transportation Agency Secretary Toks Omishakin: "Governor Newsom's decisive leadership in launching the SAFE Task Force reflects a deep commitment to restoring dignity and safety in our public spaces," said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. "This initiative empowers us to continue working collaboratively across agencies to address encampments with urgency, compassion and care — ensuring our transportation systems serve all Californians safely and equitably."

California Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss: "As the Secretary of the Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) and one of the Co-Chairs for the Interagency Council on Homelessness, I am focused on ensuring local governments have the support, guidance, and partnership needed to address encampments humanely. The SAFE Task Force is an opportunity to align our actions, hold ourselves accountable, and connect Californians living along our rights-of-way with housing and care that lasts."

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