Impact of Gov. Newsom’s homeless camp order on Richmond is unclear

It’s unclear how Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order telling state employees to remove homeless encampments will impact Richmond, where dozens of such camps dot the landscape.

The governor’s order Thursday follows a June decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that ended protections for homeless people living in encampments in western states. The court upheld an Oregon law banning sleeping outdoors, setting a precedent that allows cities and states to crack down on homeless camps.

Richmond’s director of community development, Lina Velasco, told Richmondside it’s too early to know how the governor’s executive order will affect the city. But, because the state controls certain properties where camps are located, such as land near BART and Interstates 80 and 580, state officials will likely force unhoused people living on these properties to move.

Presumably, once those state-controlled areas are cleared, homeless people who can’t find anywhere else to go could end up camping on Richmond city streets or on private or city property.  

After COVID 19 led to an increase in homeless encampments, the state made funding available to cities to clear encampments, Velasco said.

Last year, Richmond used a $4.8 million state grant to clear the former Castro encampment near North Castro Street. The city reported that 70 of the 102 former Castro residents now have some form of housing.

Jesus Morales, Richmond’s housing manager, who oversees encampment resolution funds, said his office is deploying fresh grant money to clear additional encampments. But the solution to the encampment problem is not as simple as trashing the flimsy shelters Richmond’s homeless people erect for themselves.  

Richmond’s camping ordinances, found in Chapter 11.96 of the Municipal Code, prohibit camping, sleeping, or occupying encampments in streets, parking lots, and public areas. However, sleeping outdoors is not a violation if the person has not been informed about available homeless shelters, if shelter space is unavailable, or if the person refuses to stay at a shelter.

Morales said the city may have only a handful of open shelter beds at any one time. An estimated 388 homeless people were counted on a single day in Richmond last January, according to Contra Costa County Health’s official count.

The governor announced his executive action by posting a video on billionaire Elon Musk’s X social media channel. In the brief clip he said California has doled out more than $1 billion in encampment resolution funds and blamed the court system for denying local governments the right to remove homeless encampments. 

“I announced an executive order to move the process forward. We’re done. It’s time to move with urgency at the local level to clean up these sites,” he said in the video. “There are no longer any excuses.”

Long-term homelessness solutions are complicated

Beyond demolishing encampments, what the governor expects local governments to do to ease the crisis long-term is unclear. An estimated 180,000 people in California are homeless, often because there’s no room in shelters and not enough affordable housing. 

Velasco said she hopes Richmond’s application for Homekey, a state program to expand housing for the homeless, is accepted as it will help provide more shelter space in Richmond. The grant funds would be used to buy and refurbish a local motel for temporary housing. 

For city residents who are increasingly at risk of becoming homeless due to financial pressures, there aren’t many options.

Richmond funds a rent relief program for those facing housing stress and possible homelessness, but Velasco said the need is far greater than the available resources.

“Every time we release funds for rent relief, the money is gone within six weeks,” she said. 

A representative for Mayor Eduardo Martinez said last week the mayor is traveling out of state and could not comment on the governor’s executive order.

Bay Area housing officials are hoping for some relief if voters in November approve a $20 billion bond that would provide an estimated $1.9 billion in affordable housing funds for Contra Costa County, a portion of which would be funneled to Richmond. 

SOS Richmond, a nonprofit that, among many services, helps local homeless people navigate state bureaucracy, blasted Newsom’s executive order in a statement released on Friday. The group said the governor “is pursuing a misguided and cruel policy.” 

“We urge Governor Newsom and state officials to reconsider this executive order and focus on long-term, compassionate solutions,” the organization wrote. By investing in affordable housing and robust social services, we create a more just and equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to survive and thrive.”