California Gov. Gavin Newsom is stepping up efforts to clear homeless camps across the state.
On Friday, Aug. 29, Newsom announced a so-called SAFE Task Force to “dismantle homeless encampments” in the state’s 10 largest cities.
The State Action for Facilitation on Encampments (SAFE) Task Force will “focus on” getting people off the streets, and connecting them with supportive services and shelter, Newsom’s office said.
The 10 affected cities are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, Sacramento, San Jose, Long Beach, Anaheim, Bakersfield, and Fresno.
“Today I am establishing a new task force that pairs urgency with dignity — restoring safe, usable public spaces while providing care for Californians living in dangerous encampments,” Newsom said in a statement.
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The task force is made up of six different state agencies and departments that will work with local governments to match the unhoused with shelter options and services, such as mental health and drug treatment.
“No one should live in a dangerous or unsanitary encampment, and we will continue our ongoing work to ensure that everyone has a safe place to call home,” Newsom stated.
His office said the California Department of Transportation or Caltrans reached a recent agreement with the city of San Francisco to clear encampments on state right-of-ways. Friday’s news release included pictures of a neighborhood in San Francisco before and after a large encampment was cleared on Aug. 27.
The task force will begin ramping up operations within 30 days.
This latest effort comes after Newsom signed an executive order in 2024, directing local governments to adopt policies to clear encampments after a ruling by the U.S. Supreme court gave cities and counties more authority to remove encampments.
However, homeless advocates have fought efforts to dismantle encampments, saying it’s inhumane to throw away people’s belongings and uproot their lives.
According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), there are currently 43,699 people experiencing homelessness in the city of Los Angeles, which is 3.4 percent less than last year.
The image above was taken in Hollywood and is courtesy of Shutterstock.
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