(The Center Square) — Californians are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to acknowledge the Trump administration’s executive order on homelessness, believing it will help mitigate a state crisis.
The order presents a law-and-order approach to homelessness that closely resembles Newsom’s approach. However, it upends “housing first” and “harm reduction” — two standard policies used in California.
The order directs the administration to prioritize funding to state and local governments who adopt its law-and-order approach, but withhold funding to places who don’t.
The order was issued a day after Newsom announced homelessness in local communities is decreasing.
Californians are encouraging Newsom, who continues to celebrate his administration’s approach to homelessness, to comply with the order to receive federal help.
San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond has been a loud advocate for Trump’s order, and said he hopes California will ask for help from the federal government and will comply with the necessary standards.
Desmond also said he has never been a fan of “housing first” policies.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan did not mention Newsom but did say he opposes affordable housing and believed the order had pragmatic elements to it, according to the San Jose Spotlight.
Many California locals have also gone on X to express their support for the order, stating homelessness in California is still rising despite the the state’s increase in homelessness funding.
Newsom believes the order is focused on creating distracting headlines and settling old scores than producing any positive impact, according to a statement that the Governor’s Office sent The Center Square. Newsom added his policies have contributed to the slowed growth of homelessness in California with the state outperforming the nation in reducing homelessness.
Other state Democratic politicians agree with Newsom, claiming the order is harmful.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado said the order was “an attack on our most vulnerable,” in a post on X. Jurado, a former tenants right attorney and an affordable housing activist, added that taking away resources “will only make the problem worse.”
