Local governments highlight ongoing efforts to clear homeless encampments after Newsom order

California's worsening homeless crisis has led local city governments throughout the Coachella Valley, along with Riverside County, to work on multi-pronged solutions over the years to address the problem.

A point-in-time county taken in December 2023 estimated that more than 180,000 people were experiencing homelessness in California —up 6% from 2022.

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing state agencies to "urgently address homeless encampments while respecting the dignity and safety of Californians experiencing homelessness."

The Governor’s order also encourages local governments to apply for $3.3 billion in grant funding from Proposition 1 to "expand the behavioral health continuum and provide appropriate care to individuals experiencing mental health conditions and substance use disorders — with a particular focus on people who are most seriously ill, vulnerable, or homeless."

News Channel 3 reached out to officials with every city in the Coachella Valley, along with Riverside County, to see what this order means for them and their efforts to address the homeless crisis.

Below are their responses:

The City of Palm Desert anticipates no changes in the wake of Governor Newsom’s executive order. Palm Desert is steadfast in its proactive approach to engaging with the unhoused population, in line with the City ordinance that has been in effect since 2018. The Palm Desert municipal code mandates that the City give residents notice 72 hours before clearing an encampment and provide storage for any belongings removed from the site for up to 90 days. The City has a team dedicated to connecting these individuals to services such as referrals related to mental health, substance abuse, medical needs, housing assistance, and more. Prior to serving notice, the City offers these resources to the displaced residents to avoid the necessity of repeating the process in another location. If the displaced residents refuse to comply with the City’s notice, the matter is referred to the Sheriff's Department, which determines the next steps.

Thomas Soule
Public Affairs Manager, Palm Desert

"Our city manager has confirmed that we will be taking it to the Public Safety Sub-Committee in October and then to City Council for discussion in November."

Risseth Lora
Public Information Officer
City of Coachella

"Ordinance No. 1816 was on our last city council agenda and the second reading will take place at our August 21 meeting."

JESSICA MEDIANO
Marketing and Public Information Officer, Indio

"It continues to be the City’s policy when we encounter these encampments on public property to first help these individuals find services that can help them with their current situation. CCPD’s Homeless Liaison Officer Program (which started in 2015) is intended to provide the homeless, residents and businesses with a public safety point-of-contact for education, outreach, and enforcement of municipal and criminal codes. It’s designed to develop solutions around servicing our homeless populations, particularly those who struggle with mental health, drug, and alcohol dependency. On June 26, 2024, City Council approved the following three-year as-needed services contract for encampments with Signature Cleanup: $200,000 for Homeless Encampment Cleanup Services, $120,000 for Environmental Support Services, $20,000 for Public Arts Maintenance. We’ll keep you updated on any changes related to Governor Newsom’s executive order, but this is a regular topic of discussion and a top priority for the City Council and our Executive Management Team."

Ryan Hunt, CPC
Communications & Events Manager
City of Cathedral City, California

"It’s important to note that the Governor’s Executive Order last week is a directive to state agencies. The order encourages, but does not direct, cities and counties to follow. Riverside County has spent the past few years establishing encampment protocols with our county departments, city partners, and service providers. These efforts are a collaborative approach to outreach, stabilization, shelter, housing placement, and wrap around services. The County’s Housing and Workforce Solutions Department has secured two encampment resolution grants from the state and are actively addressing the encampments in the Santa Ana River bottom and the San Jacinto riverbed. Additionally, we are working with other jurisdictions to seek additional encampment resolution funding.

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of shelter capacity and permanent affordable housing. Riverside County has made significant investments in the past three years to standup more shelter beds and increase the supply of affordable housing. In the past year alone, we have seen that shelter production increase by 25 percent. In the past two years, Riverside County has used state funding to address the housing crisis by building more than 1,100 units, and another 2,000 units under construction. In addition, thousands more are in the pipeline. Housing and Workforce Solutions will continue to work with our local cities, county agencies, and service providers to address all forms of homelessness in Riverside County, including our continued and future encampment responses."

Brooke Federico
Director of Communications, Riverside County

"We have been and will continue working with Coachella Valley Rescue Mission and Martha’s Kitchen. At this point we have a very small homeless population so we will address concerns as they come up."

Marcie Graham | Marketing, Brandshaper & Communications Trailblazer
City Manager's Office
City of La Quinta

News Channel 3 yet to receive a response from Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, or Desert Hot Springs.