What does the governor’s order to clear the homeless camp mean for Los Banos?

City gets $11.8 million from state program – more than Oakland and Fresno; plans to build 51-unit housing project with services

By Allen D. Payton

Following last Thursday’s announcement of Gov. Newsom’s executive order directing state agencies to clear homeless camps, City Council and staff members were asked what this means for Los Banos. They were also asked what they have done, are doing and will do to implement two parts of the order, numbers 2 and 3, aimed at local governments. (See related story)

Mayor Paul Llanez responded to what the city is doing and talked about the $11.8 million Encampment Relief Grant from the state that the city is receiving to address the city’s homeless problem.

The Governor’s four-part order reads as follows:

“1) Agencies and departments under my authority shall adopt policies, generally consistent with California Department of Transportation Maintenance Policy Directive 1001-R1, to address encampments on state property, including through partnerships with other state and local agencies, and shall prioritize efforts to address encampments consistent with such policies. Such policies shall include the following:

a. Where feasible, a site assessment prior to removal operations to determine whether a camp poses an immediate threat to life, health, safety or infrastructure such that exigent circumstances require immediate removal of the camp.

b. In the event of urgent circumstances, as much prior notice of evacuation as is reasonable under the circumstances.

c. Unless exigent circumstances exist, a notice of eviction must be posted at the location at least 48 hours prior to the commencement of the removal.

d. Contact service providers to request outreach services for homeless people in the camp.

e. Collecting, labeling and storing for at least 60 days personal property collected at the collection site that does not pose a health or safety risk.

2) All departments and agencies not under my authority are requested to implement policies consistent with the guidelines in paragraph 1.

3) Local governments are encouraged to implement policies consistent with this Regulation and to use all available resources and infrastructure, including resources provided by the State’s historic investments in housing and intervention programs where appropriate and available, to take action with the urgency required by this crisis to humanely remove encampments from public spaces, giving priority to those encampments that pose the greatest threat to the life, health and safety of the people located in and around the encampments.

4) The California Interagency Council on Homelessness shall develop guidelines and provide technical assistance consistent with this Order for local governments to follow in implementing their local homelessness programs.”

Questions submitted via email included City Manager Josh Pinheiro, Police Chief Ray Reyna and Department of Community and Economic Development Director Stacy Souza-Elms.

Mayor says city has received $11.8 million grant to develop 51-unit Tiny House

Llanez shared the details of what, “As the state issues this executive order regarding state property, I would like to share all of the things that Los Banos has been doing behind the scenes in anticipation of both the Supreme Court decision and this action taken by our Governor.”

“We were fortunate to receive an $11.8 million grant for encampment relief and are still waiting for the funds,” he continued, referring to the state’s Encampment Resolution Funding (ERF) program. “In the meantime, city staff have been working diligently on strategic planning for these funds to be used for a fifty-one housing unit development, with associated services, to support our homeless community. While working on that project, our city has been able to utilize bridge homes in our city as temporary housing for those in need and they are currently at full capacity.”

“The previous city council approved two homeless advocacy positions, which our current city manager then recruited and hired two wonderful people who have worked tirelessly to provide documentation and resources to a number of homeless individuals,” Llanez said. “They have helped reunite family members in other states and have issued vouchers to homeless veterans to provide them with much-needed support.”

“In May of this year, the city manager and I traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for additional homeless assistance, including access to more veterans housing vouchers,” the mayor said. “The two city employees were also responsible for the ERF grant, in which we received more money than Oakland and Fresno.”

“Prior to the Supreme Court ruling, we created a large, temporary area next to our police station for our homeless community to use as a designated safe space. At the same time, city staff and our city attorney have been working on the process of updating our municipal code to ensure that we are addressing encampments and helping to clean up our city. The recent Supreme Court ruling will help give us the tools we need to make this process work,” Llanez added.

“I am proud of all the efforts and long hours of our city employees working on this issue. It doesn’t happen overnight. But with the focused team of people from our Housing Division, Police Department, Fire Department, Code Enforcement team, Community and Economic Development Department, and Public Works Department, all led by our City Manager Josh Pinheiro, things get done. City employees are all working together to make a huge impact that our community can see with regard to the homeless crisis,” the mayor concluded.

According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the state’s ERF program is “a competitive grant available to counties, Continuums of Care (CoCs), and cities of all sizes that aims to (1) assist local jurisdictions in ensuring the safety and well-being of homeless individuals in encampments; (2) resolve critical encampment concerns and transition individuals into safe and stable housing; and (3) promote a data-driven, coordinated response.”

The department is part of the Agency for Business, Consumer Affairs and Housing, which awards the subsidies.

According to an April 22, 2024, ABC30 news report after the council vote, “the spending plan includes dozens of tiny homes” and Llanez said, “This is going to help house 95 people. And so this is something that is really going to be an effort that you’re going to be able to see. You’re going to be able to see those results.” The mayor also said that there were 121 homeless people in Los Banos at the time.