Los Angeles Rejects Newsom’s Order to Clear Homeless Encampments

Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles, which have the largest homeless population in the nation, rejected California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order to clear out homeless encampments from government property. Officials are concerned that homeless individuals who do not comply could face fines that, if unpaid, would lead to incarceration for the simple fact of being homeless. The City of Los Angeles is home to 45,000 of the 75,000 homeless individuals in Los Angeles County. Under a new unanimous order from the five-member Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the county will not cite or arrest individuals during encampment sweeps for being homeless.