SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — It was just two weeks ago that Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order that led to the clearing of numerous homeless encampments.
So what are the actual results and what are the next steps?
The decree came immediately after a Supreme Court ruling that gave cities more leeway in clearing camps.
We’ve seen tents being taken down, RVs being told to move elsewhere, and in San Francisco there was even an order to offer people bus tickets.
There was also resistance and an important court ruling on Friday in North Bay.
MORE: Newsom promises to cut funding to cities and counties if they don’t clear out camps
Scenes like this are on the rise throughout the Bay Area and beyond.
Governor Gavin Newsom reiterated his executive order two weeks ago and ordered the state to clear the camps.
On Thursday, he was in Southern California, pressuring cities to do the same or risk missing out on vital funding.
“I want to see results. I don’t want to read about it. I don’t want to see the data. I want to see it,” Newsom said.
But the longer the pressure continues, the stronger the counterpressure becomes.
MORE: Report shows where San Francisco’s homeless were sent
On Friday, homeless advocates met in the South Bay in San Jose.
“How can a governor say he’s going to reduce the prison population but at the same time criminalizes people’s homelessness?” asks Sean Allen of the NAACP in San Jose.
The group vowed to challenge the governor’s order in court next month while also pushing for more affordable housing.
“We support the regional housing bond, which will build thousands, tens of thousands of affordable housing units, which is the real solution to the problem of homelessness,” said Sandy Perry of the Cham Deliverance Ministry.
And with shelters in San Francisco full, the mayor is giving top priority to a program to bus the homeless out of the city.
MORE: San Francisco prioritizes relocation over housing for homeless people
On Friday, several authorities were seen clearing a small encampment on the Embarcardero across from the Ferry Building.
“We offer services. We offer housing. We offer different services. We also have the Journey Home program, where we help people who come from somewhere else and want to see their family and friends back home to get there,” said Denny Machuca-Grebe of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.
And in the North Bay, the city of San Rafael is stepping up its efforts after a years-long legal battle.
“We know that people are living on the streets for a variety of reasons. Their personal safety net has failed them,” said San Rafael Mayor Kate Colin.
After a federal judge this week dismissed a temporary restraining order filed last year by homeless advocates, the city can now again enforce an ordinance designed to limit the size of the encampments.
MORE: There are two operations handling homeless encampment clearances in San Francisco. Here’s the difference
And representatives of homeless organizations say they are closely monitoring the situation.
“The entire resolution by the court is based on what the city says. They can provide a safe place for people, so we will monitor that,” said homeless advocate Robbie Powelson.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, dozens of people living in mobile homes along Zoo Road are being forced to relocate again.
Authorities began impounding vehicles this week and telling owners they must vacate the vehicle by Sunday.
The owners are visibly upset and tell us they don’t know where else to go.
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