In response to Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order for California state officials to begin displacing unhoused people, the ACLU affiliates in California jointly issued the following statement:
"California’s fundamental obligation is to safeguard the health, safety, and well-being of every resident, regardless of their housing status.
Yet once again, elected officials are demonstrating a disregard for human dignity and have opted to address a systemic problem with a superficial fix. For decades, California has failed to build sufficient housing for people across all income levels, leaving thousands of residents–including families and children– no alternative but to sleep in cars, tents, and on the street.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to displace and dispossess unhoused people, even though the state does not have enough housing, is a cruel tactic that only masks the problem. Politicians appear more concerned about optics and the visibility of houselessness than they are with providing services and tackling California’s affordable housing crisis.
Punishing people for being unhoused won’t address underlying issues driving houselessness and skyrocketing housing costs in California. In fact, it will make houselessness worse. Without stable and affordable housing, people are more likely to experience job instability, have health issues, and cycle through emergency public services, such as hospitals and shelters.
Gov. Newsom’s endorsement of Caltrans as a model for clearing encampments is alarming given the agency’s history of unlawfully seizing and destroying people’s belongings. Legal advocates sued the state over this practice, which led to a $1.3 million settlement to compensate people whose property had been confiscated.
Many Californians live in fear of losing their homes. Elected officials must act decisively to expand affordable housing for all income levels, provide rental assistance to keep people in their homes, and implement stronger eviction protection measures. We urge Gov. Newsom to implement solutions that meet the needs of people experiencing houselessness and treat all Californians with the
dignity and respect that they deserve."
The ACLU affiliates in California, from north to south, include the ACLU of Northern California, ACLU of Southern California, and the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties.