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From the Wall Street Journal: California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a directive calling for cities to take down homeless encampments after the Supreme Court expanded the authority of municipalities to dismantle the camps.
A nationwide count of homeless people collected by federal authorities last year estimated more than 123,000 were unsheltered in California while living in tents, trailers, and vehicles. California accounted for nearly half the unsheltered homeless people tallied nationwide last year.
“The state has been hard at work to address this crisis on our streets,” said Newsom, a Democrat. “There are simply no more excuses. It’s time for everyone to do their part.”
He also instructed state agencies in an executive order issued Thursday on how to take homeless camps down. It directed state agencies to make site assessments when possible to determine whether a camp posed any threats to the health or safety of its inhabitants.
“Local governments now have the tools they need to address the decades-long issue of homelessness. Today, we are issuing an executive order that directs state agencies & urges locals to address encampments while connecting those living in them to housing & supportive services,” Newsom announced Thursday.
Local governments now have the tools they need to address the decades-long issue of homelessness.
Today, we are issuing an executive order that directs state agencies & urges locals to address encampments while connecting those living in them to housing & supportive services. pic.twitter.com/z9dYwAct5w
— California Governor (@CAgovernor) July 25, 2024
The WSJ explains that out of about 653,000 homeless people nationwide, over 181,000 of them, or 28%, are in California.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a directive calling for cities to take down homeless encampments after the Supreme Court expanded the authority of municipalities to dismantle the camp https://t.co/qqDLnLGdNk https://t.co/qqDLnLGdNk
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 25, 2024
Former President Donald Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, reacted to the report.
In a Truth Social post Thursday afternoon, Trump wrote, “Why didn’t Gavin Newscum do this a long time ago? He’s only doing it because, just like Crooked Joe Biden, his Radical Left Democrat Presidential Candidate, Lyin’ Kamala Harris, is losing BIG in the Polls. They just did it for Political Reasons, because she comes from California, and looks terrible. Right after the Election, it will go back to SLUM LIKE condition, unless we WIN — THEN, AMERICA WILL BE GREAT AGAIN!”