California Governor Gavin Newsom is escalating his crackdown on the state’s unhoused, again calling on California cities and counties to sweep and ban encampments. Governor Newsom said he’s allocated $3.3 billion to help localities enact the ban.

Gov. Gavin Newsom: “It is time to take back the streets. It’s time to take back the sidewalks. It’s time to take these encampments and provide alternatives. And the state is giving you more resources than ever, and it’s time, I think, to just end the excuses.”

There are some 187,000 unhoused people in California, according to the latest data. Housing advocates warn criminalizing homelessness will only compound the issue, and slammed Governor Newsom for focusing on the failed model of forced drug and mental health treatment, while failing to address the core issues of housing shortages and skyrocketing housing costs.