Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) announced on Thursday that he is issuing an executive order instructing state officials to uproot homeless encampments following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Grants Pass v. Johnson last month. The 6-3 opinion by the court unshackled local officials, allowing them to kick homeless people out of their encampments, a right previously protected by Martin v. Boise.“This decision removes the legal ambiguities that have tied the hands of local officials for years and limited their ability to deliver on common-sense measures to protect the safety and well-being of our communities,” Newsom said of the ruling in a June 28 statement. Newsom urged officials to act “with urgency and dignity” in a statement on Thursday, adding that “there are simply no more excuses.” California has an estimated homeless population of 180,000, according to The New York Times. Despite Newsom’s declarations,the order is a directive and has no power to force local officials to begin clearing the encampments.Newsom is widely believed to be gunning for the VP slot, and his announcement may be indicative of his intentions, according to The New York Times.
