Democrat Gavin Newsom will urge cities in California to ban people from sleeping on the street and setting up tents
The new state guidance requires municipal officials, or those acting on their behalf, to make a reasonable effort to offer shelter in emergency shelters, navigation centers, or other housing options, as well as support services before dismantling a camp.
The document doesn't specify whether criminal penalties should be applied to those who violate the rule, leaving that decision to local authorities.
California Governor, Gavin Newsom, intensified his campaign on Monday to eliminate homeless encampments across the state, urging cities to ban people from sleeping on the street or setting up tents in public spaces like sidewalks, parks, and bike paths.
Although the governor can't legally impose a statewide mandate on local governments, he is using financial incentives to achieve this: up to $3.3 billion in state funds will be available for communities that adopt the model ordinance proposed by his administration.
According to the new guidance issued by the state, people are prohibited from sleeping in public areas using sleeping bags, blankets, or other materials for more than three consecutive days.
However, the measure also states that no one should face criminal penalties for sleeping on the street if they have no other option, reflecting an attempt to balance rule enforcement with a humanitarian approach.
Newsom stated that local leaders had requested resources and legal clarity, and now they had both. "We gave them the largest state investment in history. The court gave them legal clarity. Now we give them a model they can apply immediately, with urgency and humanity," he declared.
For the governor, allowing people to continue living and dying on the street is not an act of compassion, and he believes the time has come to act decisively.
This effort represents a ramping up of the state's strategy to address one of its most visible and persistent crises: homelessness. In 2024, California voters approved a measure pushed by Newsom that requires counties to spend more on housing programs and addiction treatment.
The goal is to reduce the number of homeless people, which currently exceeds 187,000 across the state, approximately one-third of the entire homeless population in the United States.
Newsom's proposal reflects growing pressure for local governments to act in response to the increase in street encampments. The initiative has sparked major debates about civil rights, access to adequate housing, and the fair implementation of these policies at the municipal level.
The state of California has been governed by the Democratic Party for more than 10 years and is mired in a major economic and social crisis due to the socialist measures taken by Governor Newsom.
