California Governor Gavin Newsom is threatening to withhold state funding from counties that don’t take steps to clear homeless encampments.
Newsom made the announcement on Thursday, after helping clean up an encampment under the 5 Freeway in Pacoima. Newsom said he’ll start to redirect money away from counties that don’t produce “demonstrable results” toward reducing homelessness.
Last month, Newsom issued an executive order requiring his administration to remove homeless encampments on state property, and called on cities and counties to get tougher in enforcing camping rules. Several Los Angeles County leaders pushed back, saying people will not be detained or arrested just for being homeless.