In a long-overdue effort to restore order and cleanliness to California’s public spaces, officials cleared a notorious homeless encampment at Dockweiler State Beach in Los Angeles on Thursday. The operation was the latest move by Governor Gavin Newsom to address the state’s crippling homelessness crisis.
Gov. Newsom has been under pressure to take action against the growing number of people sleeping in public spaces, and his executive order directing state agencies to remove homeless encampments from public land marked a significant shift in his approach. The governor has urged cities and counties to follow suit, but some have pushed back, arguing that simply clearing encampments without providing adequate services or shelter is not a solution.
The cleanup operation at Dockweiler State Beach was organized by LA City Councilmember Traci Park and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. County workers and local law enforcement were on hand to assist with the effort, which saw bright yellow trash trucks rolling onto the beach to collect debris and discarded belongings.
For James Kingston, a 63-year-old homeless man who had been living at the beach, the cleanup was just another disruption in his already precarious life. “You just grab your important stuff and everything else has got to go,” he said matter-of-factly, as he watched officials cordon off his tent. “You just got to let it go because that’s how it is.”
Kingston’s resignation underscores the complexity of California’s homelessness crisis, which has been exacerbated by a shortage of affordable housing and a lack of effective support services. Despite Gov. Newsom’s boasts about spending $24 billion on efforts to clean up streets and house people, many critics argue that his approach is heavy-handed and neglects the root causes of the problem.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and LA County officials have been vocal in their opposition to the governor’s methods, arguing that simply clearing encampments without providing adequate shelter or services only serves to displace people further. With over 75,000 people homeless on any given night across Los Angeles County, and just 23,000 emergency shelter beds available, it is clear that more needs to be done to address the crisis.
As Gov. Newsom continues to take a tough line on homelessness, it remains to be seen whether his efforts will yield meaningful results or simply perpetuate a cycle of displacement and neglect. One thing is certain: Californians deserve better than a homelessness crisis that seems to have no end in sight.
