How California’s Cities are Addressing Homeless Encampments

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

An estimated 172,000 people are homeless in California, according to a study this year by UCSF, and the most visible symbols of the state’s homelessness crisis are its tent encampments. Citing public health and safety issues, cities across the state are increasingly “sweeping” encampments on city sidewalks, forcing campers to move their tents and belongings to other areas if they refuse offers of shelter. But homeless advocates say those shelter options are often inadequate and that sweeps are unconstitutional. Those issues are at play as the Ninth Circuit considers whether San Francisco needs to offer more housing before it can carry out sweeps. San Diego, meanwhile, is starting to enforce a no-camping ordinance on public property. And Los Angeles has approved increased funding for its Inside Safe program, which gives tent dwellers temporary housing. We’ll talk about how California cities are addressing homeless encampments, the controversies at hand and who’s most affected. Guests: Marisa Kendall, reporter covering California's homelessness crisis, CalMatters Aldo Toledo, city hall reporter, The San Francisco Chronicle Blake Nelson, reporter covering homelessness, The San Diego Union-Tribune Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:38.3	The From KQED. From KQED. From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Guy Marzorati in from Mina Kim.
0:57.0	Coming up on forum, leaders of California's largest cities are grappling with the most visible symbol of the state's homelessness crisis, tents encampments.
1:06.0	Mayors in San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose say the tents are a hazard to public health, a drag
1:12.2	on local business, and a blight on their cities. But advocates of the unhoused and federal
1:16.9	judges say it's inhumane to dismantle encampments if there's no place for their residents
1:22.2	to go. We'll talk about the controversies at hand, who's most affected, and take your calls about California's
1:28.8	homeless encampments. That's next after this news.
1:36.5	This is Foram. I'm Guy Marzarotti in for Mina Kim.
1:42.3	Tent encampments are one of the starkest, most visible expressions
1:45.7	of California's homelessness crisis, a crisis that afflicts at least 172,000 people in the state,
	...

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