Subj : More From California, LOL
To : All
From : Thumper
Date : Wed May 14 2025 08:26 pm
California Gov. Gavin Newsom released details about his multibillion-dollar
plan to tackle the homeless crisis in the Golden State and is pushing cities
and counties to take "immediate action."
On Monday, Newsom shared a model ordinance for cities and counties to
"immediately address dangerous and unhealthy encampments and connect people
experiencing homelessness with shelter and services."
"There’s nothing compassionate about letting people die on the streets,"
Newsom said in a news release.
"Local leaders asked for resources – we delivered the largest state
investment in history. They asked for legal clarity – the courts delivered.
Now, we’re giving them a model they can put to work immediately, with urgency
and with humanity, to resolve encampments and connect people to shelter,
housing, and care. The time for inaction is over. There are no more excuses,"
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
The ordinance is backed in part by $3.3 billion in new Prop 1 funding, Newsom's
office announced, adding that the governor is "calling on all local governments
to act without delay."
Newsom is also encouraging local leaders to use their authority, affirmed by
the U.S. Supreme Court, to address encampments.
"The Governor is calling on every local government to adopt and implement local
policies without delay," Newsom's office said.
Newsom's office said this model ordinance draws from the state’s "proven and
workable approach," an approach that between July 2021 and May 2025 cleared
more than 16,000 encampments and more than 311,873 cubic yards of debris from
sites along the state right-of-way.
"These results demonstrate that the policy is both effective and scalable,
offering a sound, adoptable framework for jurisdictions to resolve encampments
with urgency and dignity," Newsom said.
Monday's announcement is in addition to the release of $3.3 billion in
voter-approved Proposition 1 funding, which Newsom's office said will be made
available later today to communities statewide.
Those funds are being used to expand behavioral health housing and treatment
options for the "most seriously ill and homeless in California."
"This model ordinance is not intended to be comprehensive or to impose a
one-size-fits-all approach for every city. Tailoring is expected and
appropriate to account for local differences and priorities," Newsom's office
said.
The guidance doesn’t say whether criminal penalties should be enforced but
instead would leave it up to cities to enforce how severely those who violate
the ban should be punished.
Newsom's office said all local approaches should reflect three basic
principles, which include:
No person should face criminal punishment for sleeping outside when they have
nowhere else to go.
Encampment policies must prioritize shelter and services and ensure that people
experiencing homelessness and their belongings are treated with respect.
Policies must not unduly limit local authorities to clear encampments, meaning
officials must be able to enforce "commonsense policies" to protect the health
and safety of their residents and maintain their public spaces.
Newsom's announcement comes following the Supreme Court's decision in Grants
Pass v. Johnson in 2024, which found laws restricting sleeping in public areas
did not violate the constitutional restriction against "cruel and unusual
punishment."
Newsom had encouraged the Supreme Court to take up the case, claiming court
decisions preventing the government from punishing vagrants occupying public
spaces had created an "unsurmountable roadblock" to addressing the crisis.
Newsom's office told Fox News Digital that the governor has "actively held
communities accountable who do not follow state law to address homelessness",
sharing an example of when the state sued the City of Norwalk in 2024 for "its
unlawful ban on homeless shelters."
The governor's office added that while the nation’s unsheltered homelessness
last year went up by nearly 7%, California’s increase was only 0.45% and was
lower than 44 other states.
"Governor Newsom is the first governor to actively address this issue in our
state, and he is reversing a crisis that was decades in the making," Newsom's
office said.
In addition to cleaning up homeless encampments, Newsom's office also announced
$3.3 billion in grant funding to create over 5,000 residential treatment beds
and more than 21,800 outpatient treatment slots for behavioral healthcare
services.
"Californians demanded swift action to address our state’s behavioral health
crisis when they voted for Prop 1 in March 2024," Newsom's office said.
"Today, we’re delivering our biggest win yet. These launch-ready projects
will build and expand residential beds and treatment slots for those who need
help. Whether it’s crisis stabilization, inpatient services, or long-term
treatment, we’re ensuring that individuals can access the right care at the
right time," the statement continued.
When fully awarded, Newsom's office said funding from Proposition 1 bonds is
estimated to create 6,800 residential treatment beds and 26,700 outpatient
treatment slots for behavioral health and will build on other major behavioral
health initiatives in California.
"Today marks a critical milestone in our commitment to transforming
California’s behavioral health system," said Kim Johnson, secretary of the
California Health and Human Services Agency. "Through these awards, we are
investing in bold, community-driven solutions that expand access to care,
promote equity, and meet people where they are. These projects are a reflection
of our values and vision for a healthier, more compassionate California."
Newsom's office also said the Department of Housing and Community Development
will oversee up to $2 billion in Proposition 1 funds to build permanent
supportive housing for veterans and others who are homeless or at risk of
homelessness and have mental health or substance-use disorder challenges.
"This is a generational investment in California’s behavioral health future.
We are not just building facilities. We are building hope, dignity, and
pathways to healing for thousands of Californians," said Michelle Baass,
director of the state Department of Health Care Services, in a statement.
... So easy, a child could do it. Child sold separately.
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