Political Gumbo: Careful Mr. Governor

A lot has been said and written on Gavin Newsom’s homeless order that mandates the clean up and, yes disposal, of homeless encampments on state property.

Locally, this is the second domino to fall after the Supreme Court’s decision on Grants Pass, which gives local municipalities more power to deal with the homeless problem.

Yes, local activists worry that the Grants Pass decision is the first salvo in a volley of shots that will allow the City to criminalize homelessness.

But it is the next domino that we have to worry about.

You see Newsom supposedly cannot order cities to clean up encampments.

But it sure looks like he can strong-arm them into doing it.

Because now the governor is in fact saying he will withhold state funds to cities that don’t act.

Yes, this comes right after he was talked about as a replacement for Biden in the November election and yes, some pundits said the state’s homeless situation would come up if he were the candidate.

Who knows what’s motivating this move. 

But one thing I do know.

If you break it, you buy it.

This is a problem that is going to take more, including the admission that right now the state can not solve this problem.

But yes it can be managed. 

True, across the county, there are encampments under freeways, in the mountains and yes near shopping centers and parks.

Just past the Eagle Rock Plaza and under the 134 freeway there is a two block long encampment of tents and boxes. 

Look removing those tents and boxes won’t mean the people who slept there are no longer homeless.

It will make the underpass look better, and yes some people walking in that area will feel safer. 

But where will the homeless people go?

They go into Glendale, and the county problem becomes Glendale’s problem.

Or, as some did in San Francisco, they go away for a few days and then pitch the tents and boxes in the exact same location, which means the County will pay twice to clear out the same encampment. 

Yes, the Grants Pass decision could be a good tool to use under the proper circumstances. 

But it should be treated as just that. 

One part of a toolkit used to manage a problem.

And yes people should feel safe when walking down the streets, and business owners should be able to sell their wares without the worry that someone will take up residence in the entrance to their business.

Yes, that happened recently and the restaurant was forced to close after the customer base dwindled. 

Everybody’s rights must be respected and yes that includes the privileged and the put upon. 

Absent more beds, facilities and mental health care aid, the governor’s order is just a magician’s trick.

Yes, the encampments seem to disappear, but we know the ace of spades has just cleverly hidden where it can’t be seen leaving the audience in awe.

Yes, Newsom has been a stalwart when it comes to combating the homeless problem.

On Thursday while helping Caltrans remove an encampment, Newsom said he is not criminalizing homelessness.

Maybe not.

But it damn sure looks like he is criminalizing cities by threatening to withhold funds from municipalities not willing to jump through his hoops.

It’s going to take more Governor.