Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced a new statewide task force that will prioritize clearing homeless encampments in California’s 10 largest cities, including San Diego.
The State Action for Facilitation on Encampments, or SAFE Task Force, will coordinate across state agencies to address encampments. The goal is to work with local governments to move people from the streets into temporary shelter and ultimately permanent housing, while providing additional services, according to the governor’s office.
Locally, officials already had come to agreements or begun talks with the state for help with encampments.
In July, San Diego officials agreed to launch a one-year pilot program to allow city crews and law enforcement to enter Caltrans land to clear “unsafe and unsanitary homeless encampments.” Chula Vista has sought clearance for its Homeless Outreach Team to clean up encampments on local freeway ramps.
In addition, according to Newsom’s office, this week Caltrans reached an agreement with San Francisco that is similar to San Diego’s.
“California has put in place a strong, comprehensive strategy for fighting the national homelessness and housing crises – and is outperforming the nation as a result in turning this issue around,” Newsom said in a statement.
“No one should live in a dangerous or unsanitary encampment, and we will continue our ongoing work to ensure that everyone has a safe place to call home,” he added.
The task force will begin operations within 30 days. In addition to San Diego, chosen areas include Los Angeles, Long Beach and Anaheim.
Newsom has issued multiple directives aimed at addressing encampments and holding local governments accountable, even as approaches by municipalities vary widely. Some cities, like San Diego, offered detailed plans and rules for clearing encampments, while others have only “bare-bones guidelines.”
In 2024, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, which upheld local laws banning camping on public property, Newsom signed an executive order to clear encampments using a so-called “state-tested model.”
The governor previously said he would rescind state funding for municipalities that do not remove homeless encampments. Using an online tool, accountability.ca.gov, residents can comb through data points to track progress on homelessness, housing and behavior health.
Meanwhile, California voters approved Proposition 1 in March 2024, authorizing $6.4 billion in bonds to expand mental health and addiction services, build permanent supportive housing and help homeless veterans.
Newsom also launched the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Court program, designed to place people with untreated schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses into housing and treatment. Initially expected to start in July 2022, CARE Court launched in October 2023 in seven counties after concerns about the timeline to create a new legal structure.
The SAFE Task Force is expected to implement and advance these initiatives with the following agencies:
- California Office of Emergency, responsible for logistical coordination and procurement
- Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, oversee housing and homeless grants
- California Interagency Council on Homelessness, offer guidance, coordinate supportive services and facilitate cooperation with local agencies
- California Health and Human Services, support and monitor locally-provided health care and behavior health support funded by Prop 1
- California Highway Patrol, provide support during encampment operations, monitor cleared areas, and
- California State Transportation Agency, responsible for clearing encampments on state rights-of-way.
Between 2014 and 2019, unsheltered homelessness in California increased by approximately 37,000 people.
Last year, homelessness increased nationally by more than 18%, but in California by only 3%, That’s a lower rate than 40 other states.
Newsom’s office touted the state’s ability to nearly hold the line on the growth of unsheltered homelessness. That number grew by just 0.45% compared to a national increase of almost 7%.
Florida, Texas, New York and Illinois experienced larger increases in homelessness.
The San Diego pilot project will take place along a five-mile stretch of freeways running through Little Italy, Downtown, Sherman Heights, East Village and Barrio Logan.
Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, meanwhile, has met with Caltrans District 11 Director Ann Fox to discuss the process to improve the collaboration between the city and the transportation agency.
The task force announcement come a day after Newsom said the CHP would send crime suppression teams to San Diego and other California cities to “saturate high-crime areas, target repeat offenders and seize illicit weapons and narcotics.”
