Governor Gavin Newsom announced yesterday the launch of a comprehensive statewide task force designed to dismantle homeless encampments while connecting residents to housing and services. The State Action for Facilitation on Encampments (SAFE) Task Force will target camps along state rights-of-way in California’s ten largest cities, including Sacramento, marking the most ambitious coordinated effort yet to address the crisis.
The task force will begin operations within 30 days, according to the Times of San Diego. The announcement comes as California grapples with housing over 187,000 homeless individuals—nearly a quarter of the nation’s unhoused population.
Multi-Agency Coordination Takes Center Stage
California’s SAFE task force brings together state agencies responsible for emergency management, social services, health care, substance use support, resource management, and public safety, as reported by the Governor’s office. The coordination represents a significant shift from previous ad-hoc approaches to encampment clearing.
The scope of the challenge is substantial. Since July 2021, Caltrans has removed over 18,000 encampments and cleared approximately 334,440 cubic yards of debris along state rights-of-way, as noted by SM Mirror.
California Bucking National Homelessness Trends
The announcement arrives amid encouraging data suggesting California’s homeless strategy may be showing results. Last year, homelessness increased nationally by more than 18%, but in California by only 3%, a lower rate than 40 other states, as per the Times of San Diego…