How California is clearing homeless encampments

Describing the homelessness crisis as the “biggest scar in the reputation” of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned counties last week that he would redirect money if he did not see “demonstrable results” over removing homeless encampments.

• Newsom to reporters on Thursday in Los Angeles: “You’ve got the money, you’ve got the flexibility, you’ve got the green light, you’ve got support from the state. The public is demanding it of you. And if this is not the most important issue, you’re not paying attention.”

The governor’s warning follows his July executive order that directed state agencies to adopt policies to clear camps on state property — and he urged local governments to do the same. Newsom issued the order a month after the U.S. Supreme Court granted cities more authority to clear encampments and arrest or fine unhoused people for sleeping in public spaces.

So how have cities cleared encampments since then?

As CalMatters homelessness reporter Marisa Kendall explains, some unhoused people and activists say police appear to be sweeping encampments more frequently and aggressively, while there has been no significant increase in shelter beds or affordable housing.

A homelessness activist in Santa Cruz says that recent sweeps show the city’s most forceful push to dismantle encampments in years. Police now come back regularly after a sweep to make sure people don’t return, the activist said. This leaves homeless residents such as Tré Watson with few options.

• Watson: “We gotta be somewhere. We can’t hover. We come here, they run us away. We go to any park and they run us away. We go to the Pogonip (nature preserve), and they bring bulldozers.”

In San Diego, a 2023 ordinance that banned camping in certain public spaces has led the city to crack down on encampments since before the high court’s ruling. But after Newsom’s order, enforcement seems to be ramping up along the San Diego River, says one outreach worker with the nonprofit PATH. Authorities used to clear camps along the river a few times a month; now it’s multiple times per week.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and San Francisco Mayor London Breed have welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision. But L.A. Mayor Karen Bass slammed the ruling, arguing that strategies that move “people along from one neighborhood to the next … do not work.” Other homelessness advocates say that displacing unhoused people during sweeps can be traumatizing, and can result in their loss of IDs that they need for subsidized housing.

Newsom on Thursday said his threat to take money from local governments was not an indictment of L.A., but rather “more broadly an indictment of counties.” In the past five fiscal years, the state has allocated $24 billion to homelessness and housing, including $750 million to help local leaders clear encampments.

Learn more about how cities are managing encampments in Marisa’s story.

Though lawmakers have proposed dozens of bills this year to regulate artificial intelligence, one bill in particular has drawn much ire from major tech companies, writes CalMatters tech reporter Khari Johnson.

Senate Bill 1047 is an expansive piece of legislation that would require developers of the most powerful AI tools to test whether their programs have the ability to attack public infrastructure, trigger severe cyber attacks or set off mass casualty events. The bill also includes protections for whistleblowers at AI companies.

Critics of the bill contend that complying with the bill’s test requirements will cost too much for startups and other small businesses. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, said in a letter to lawmakers that SB 1047 will “deter AI innovation in California.” And Google said the measure will render the state “one of the world’s least favorable jurisdictions for AI development and deployment.” 

But supporters of the bill, including some leading researchers in the field, say it provides “the bare minimum” for effective AI regulation. Former OpenAI employee Daniel Kokotajlo, who publicly accused the company of violating internal safety protocols, also backs the measure. 

Learn more about the AI bill in Khari’s story.

Speaking of AI: Amid the race for lawmakers to rein in the technology, Newsom on Friday said the state is partnering with AI chipmaker NVIDIA to expand AI education and workplace development for community college students. 

The agreement directs NVIDIA to provide access to AI tools for educational and research projects, and to develop workforce pipelines. The state plans to fund AI training initiatives for state jobs, and “explore opportunities” to support AI projects in the public and private sectors. Community colleges are expected to integrate AI concepts into their classroom curricula, expand AI bootcamps and grow AI-related certificate programs.

In a video statement, Gov. Newsom said the partnership is about innovation, entrepreneurialism and “the spirit that finds the best in California.”

CalMatters covers the Capitol: We have guides and stories to keep track of bills and your lawmakers; find out how well legislators are representing you; explore the Legislature’s record diversity; and to make your voice heard.

California Republicans have an 18-year losing streak, and counting, in statewide races. But there’s a glimmer of hope in the latest voter registration numbers.

The GOP picked up nearly 95,000 registered voters between Feb. 20 and July 5, while the Democratic Party lost nearly 44,000 over the same period, according to a report issued Friday by the Secretary of State’s office. The number of Californians registered as no party preference increased by 28,000.

Democrats, however, still account for 46% of the electorate, about the same as in July 2020. Republicans make up 25%, up slightly from four years ago. While the GOP boomlet likely won’t matter statewide, it could tip the scales in close legislative and congressional races.

Overall, a total of 22,171,899 Californians are registered to vote, or 82.4% of those eligible.That’s a little lower than the 83.5% at the same point in 2020. Reminder: Oct. 21 is the deadline to register online to vote in the Nov. 5 election. 

Ballot props on TikTok: CalMatters housing reporter Ben Christopher somehow did a Gen Z version of Proposition 5, a measure to lower voting thresholds for borrowing money. You can watch it on Instagram as well. 

It’s the second TikTok on a ballot measure, following one by politics intern Jenna Peterson on Prop. 32, which would increase the state minimum wage. You can also watch this one on Insta. 

Battleground states: CalMatters politics reporter Yue Stella Yu and photographer Larry Valenzuela wrapped up their trip following Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz with a stop Friday in Arizona. Immigration is a key issue in that border state, so Harris put up a new TV ad Friday to promote her record and rebut Republican attacks. To hear from some Arizona voters, read Stella’s story.

After wrapping up their swing-state tour in Las Vegas, Harris and Walz landed in San Francisco for a Sunday fundraiser the campaign said brought in $12 million — just the latest example of presidential candidates using California as an ATM. 

November election: It’s not too early to get informed. Keep up with CalMatters coverage by signing up for 2024 election emails. Check out our Voter Guide, including updates and videos on the 10 propositions and a FAQ on how to vote. And read up on the history of ballot measures in California.

State regulators recently adopted water conservation measures that target urban water agencies. As part of our partnership with PBS SoCal, CalMatters water reporter Rachel Becker and producer Robert Meeks have a video segment on Rachel’s story on how the new rules save less water than initially planned. Watch it here.

SoCalMatters airs at 5:58 p.m. weekdays on PBS SoCal.