At a press release on May 12, California Governor Gavin Newsom called on state municipalities to ban tent encampments on public property. Since then, cities like Berkeley, Oakland, and San Jose have made massive efforts to “sweep” their unhoused residents off the streets. Though Newsom called for the sweeps to be carried out “with urgency and dignity,” nothing about this is dignified.
Many unhoused residents have said they did not receive notice that their tents would be removed and those who did often only got a few hours notice. In San Jose, Mayor Matt Mahan has defended the city’s plan to arrest those who refuse shelter. Advocates and residents have noted that the housing options provided are usually riddled with issues themselves: strict curfews with few if any mental health resources, unsanitary and unsafe conditions, and more. One resident shared they’d rather sleep outside than in a shelter that feels like “jail.” What’s more, housing is not even guaranteed! Newsom’s plan only calls for officials to make a “reasonable effort” to offer shelter. The alternatives to living on the streets are as dehumanizing as the politicians who fail to offer real solutions to the housing crisis.
The Bay Area remains one of the most expensive regions in the country, where the average rent is around $3,000. In addition, Trump’s proposed cuts to Section 8 rental aid would intensify the homelessness issue. More than 80,000 low-income households in the Bay Area rely on Section 8 housing vouchers to afford rent each month. The budget plan would cut over $33 billion in spending on housing and homelessness programs. This would put thousands more at greater risk of becoming homeless.
Many of these encampments were at public parks. After the sweeps, city officials also closed the parks, fencing them up, to prevent people from returning. It’s a strategy that lays bare that these politicians have no real interest in the people on the streets nor the residents in the neighborhoods. After the sweeps, where are the unhoused supposed to go? Next to nothing has been done to increase real access to social services, affordable housing, or better-paying jobs. These politicians have no real solutions for the real problems we face every day.
