Governor Newsom wants to clear homeless camps

California Governor Newsom apparently wants to show his ability to act in the homeless crisis: local authorities are to clear camps. Some suspect calculation ahead of the presidential election.

Homelessness is a huge problem in California. Rents are extremely high, and even those who work cannot necessarily afford an apartment. Some live in decades-old, rickety mobile homes, others in tents. In Los Angeles, but also in smaller cities, there are wild camps along entire streets. This is about them – but also about people who simply sleep in the open air in California's temperate climate.

Following the Supreme Court's decision, local authorities should now act, demands California Governor Gavin Newsom: On X, he published a video showing himself and workers clearing away the remains of a wild camp.

There are no longer any excuses, especially for tent camps that pose a safety or health risk, said the governor.

180,000 homeless in California

On his website, he also demands that those affected receive help. A pious wish: There are around 180,000 homeless people living in California, and there are far too few beds in shelters. The problem has been known for years, and aid programs are announced again and again – but the situation has not really improved.

Jennifer Friedenbach speaks on CNN for the San Francisco-based Coalition on Homelessness, which advocates for the rights of the homeless. “Such measures only consume resources and make the situation worse for everyone, but especially for the homeless,” she says.

The decision to evict or impose fines in the future rests with cities and municipalities. However, they could now draw on state resources for enforcement. The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, opposes evictions: “Strategies that simply push people from one neighborhood to the next or simply issue summonses instead of creating housing – that doesn't work.”

Tactical maneuver because of US election?

Some observers believe that this is a tactical maneuver by Newsom – with an eye on the presidential election. Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential candidate, comes from California. She was a district attorney and attorney general there, and she sat in the state Senate for the state. Since she became Donald Trump's likely opponent, Republicans have discovered the homelessness crisis in California as an issue – the motto: California Democrats don't have it under control.

Is Newsom's decree purely symbolic politics – along the lines of “we're doing something” to support Harris' campaign? Political consultant and analyst Brian Sobel thinks this is unlikely. California is firmly in the hands of the Democrats, and the so-called swing states will once again be decisive in the election.

The wild camps and homeless people who even sleep in parks despite being offered accommodation are a real problem, says San Francisco Mayor London Breed of the Democrats: “We do not want to criminalize homelessness, but if those affected repeatedly refuse to use the accommodation provided, we can now enforce the law.”

A dozen mayors welcomed Newsom's decree – critics remain firm: evictions and bans do not solve the problem.