California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that the state would provide $300 million to clear homeless encampments and move homeless individuals.
The funds would be given to Caltrans to assist the homeless.
“I think we can all agree that we need to do more to clean up encampments,” Newsom said, adding, “We weren’t just cleaning up encampments – out of sight, out of mind – and displacing people, removing people, but that we’re trying to resolve the underlying issues in the first place and actually support people in getting them back on their feet to self-sufficiency.”
In a press release for the state’s action, Newsom declared, “Since day one, combatting homelessness has been a top priority. Encampments are not safe for the people living in them, or for community members around them. The state is giving locals hundreds of millions of dollars to move people into housing and clean up these persistent and dangerous encampments. And we are doing the same on state land, having removed 5,679 encampments since 2021.”
Caltrans Deputy Division Chief, Office of Homelessness and Encampments, Division of Maintenance Alisa Becerra stated, “Through the Encampment Resolution Grants, Caltrans is working to connect people experiencing homelessness on its right-of-way to more secure and stable housing situations offered by local partners.”
California State Senator Brian Dahle (R) challenged Newsom’e assertion that he removed homeless encampments.
“The governor didn’t clear these homeless encampments; they just moved them down the street,” he claimed. “California spends more tax dollars per homeless person than we do on our students. The homeless crisis is a national embarrassment. This governor needs to focus on real results instead of chasing presidential aspirations and gas-lighting Californians.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom admitted to the cleanup and rehoming of San Francisco’s homeless population ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit.
“I know folks say, ‘Oh, they’re just cleaning up this place because all these fancy leaders are coming into town,’” Newsom said. “That’s true, because it’s true.”
“Anytime you put on an event, by definition, you know, you have people over your house, you’re going to clean up the house,” he said.
