California Governor Gavin Newsom is now pressuring cities and counties to crack down on homeless encampments, urging the adoption of sweeping public camping bans ahead of the 2028 election cycle. After years of failed policies and skyrocketing homelessness under his watch, Newsom is now pushing local governments to clean up the mess—conveniently timed as national scrutiny begins to mount.
Newsom’s latest move includes a model ordinance for cities that would prohibit individuals from camping in the same public spot for more than three days, block sidewalks, or build makeshift shelters on public land. While the governor insists the law would include shelter referrals before enforcement, critics are slamming the effort as too little, too late—and motivated more by optics than concern for public safety or the homeless population.
The governor has pledged $3.3 billion in state funds for cities that fall in line with his guidelines, offering money for mental health services, temporary housing, and other support. But skeptics argue that similar spending in the past has failed to deliver real results, with billions already spent on housing initiatives that have only coincided with record-level homelessness.
This shift in tone follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision that now permits municipalities to enforce bans on public camping even if shelter space is limited—a legal green light Newsom is now using to justify a crackdown that some say he resisted for years.
Cities like San Diego that have enforced stricter measures have seen modest drops in visible homeless populations, but many advocates argue these policies merely push the problem out of sight rather than solving it. The concern now is that Newsom’s plan amounts to a public relations campaign dressed up as policy reform—aimed more at beautifying streets before 2028 than fixing California’s deep-rooted homeless crisis.
For years, the state has allowed encampments to grow unchecked, overwhelming neighborhoods, straining law enforcement, and draining local resources. Now, with the political calendar in mind, Newsom is making a show of getting tough—just as voters are demanding answers and results.
Whether the move represents a genuine policy shift or a last-ditch effort to salvage credibility, one thing is clear: the Newsom administration is finally admitting that California’s homelessness crisis can’t be managed with press conferences and spending alone.