Governor Newsom issued a stark warning to the state’s cities and counties on Thursday, urging them to begin clearing homeless camps so they don’t miss out on federal funding.
Newsom, who last month ordered the clearing of encampments on state property, said homelessness was the worst stain on the state’s reputation.
As he helped clear a homeless encampment in Mission Hills near the intersection of the 5 and 118 freeways on Thursday afternoon, he said he, like many Californians, was frustrated by the makeshift shelters being erected by the homeless across the state.
“I’m here on behalf of 40 million Californians who are fed up. I’m here because I’m one of them. I want to see results,” Newsom said.
Los Angeles city and county officials have been critical of the executive order, which does not require cities to comply but could jeopardize state funding for delinquent municipalities. Some local officials said clearing the encampments would simply result in the homeless being relocated from one area to another.
While Newom said he was not singling out Los Angeles County specifically, he said any local government that does not comply with the policy should expect to lose state funding.
“Any county that wants to work with us and move forward with a sense of urgency that can demonstrably produce results, we will double our support. We will not continue to fund counties that have no interest in doing so and cling to stale arguments from the ’70s and ’80s,” he said.
Newsom said the state will begin cutting homeless assistance funding in the next budget for any counties that do not comply with the order.
“I’m a taxpayer, not just a governor. It’s not complicated. We’re going to send the money to counties that get results,” Newsom added.