In a controversial move, several wealthy California cities are responding to the state's housing crisis by criminalizing homelessness rather than building affordable housing. This approach has drawn criticism from advocates who argue it fails to address the root causes of homelessness.
Newsom's Encampment Crackdown
Governor Gavin Newsom recently ordered the clearing of homeless encampments on public property, threatening to withhold state funding from non-compliant cities and counties. In August, Newsom approved over $130 million for 18 cities to "sweep" encampments, claiming the goal is to connect people with care and housing.
However, many homeless advocates denounce this strategy as simply criminalizing life without shelter. David Gillanders, executive director of Pathways of Hope in Orange County, stated: "If you uproot a person who's living in an encampment, they're just going to find another place to go if you're not offering them an appropriate sort of accommodation."
Rising Housing Costs Drive Crisis
California faces the highest housing costs nationwide, with average monthly rents around $2,500. In Orange County, renters need to earn about $54 per hour to afford the average rent without being cost-burdened. These skyrocketing costs are pushing even middle-class workers out of the state.
Cities Double Down on Enforcement
Despite the clear link between housing costs and homelessness, many California cities are prioritizing anti-camping laws and police enforcement over housing solutions:
- San Francisco strengthened a program offering one-way bus tickets to unhoused individuals before shelter or services.
- Newport Beach intensified anti-camping enforcement, withdrew funding for mental health response, and quickly cleared all encampments after passing a camping ban.
- Garden Grove cited Martin v. Boise, which limited anti-camping enforcement, as disabling their ability to "mitigate encampment growth."
Shelter Challenges Persist
While some cities point to shelter refusals as justification for enforcement, shelters often pose their own problems. Many unhoused individuals avoid shelters due to safety concerns, restrictions on pets and belongings, or gender segregation splitting up couples.
Even adequate shelters struggle to move people into permanent housing. Newport Beach's mayor pro tem admitted some have been in "temporary" shelter for three years.
A Missed Opportunity
As California's housing crisis worsens, the focus on criminalization over construction represents a missed opportunity to address root causes. By prioritizing enforcement over affordable housing development, wealthy cities risk exacerbating rather than solving homelessness in their communities.