☆ Sen Jones: CA needs SB 31's “compassionate approach” to homelessness

While some local news sites are making outrageously false claims about Senate Bill 31's anti-street squatting stance, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones sets the record straight in this Opp Now exclusive. He explains how SB 31, along with CARE Court, can provide much-needed services to the unhoused while mitigating the negative neighborhood impacts of runaway encampments.

We’ve said from the beginning, SB 31 does not criminalize homelessness. Our goal is to protect the public and help lift homeless individuals off the street through a compassionate approach. Importantly, local jurisdictions can decide if they want to issue citation infractions or misdemeanors under this new law. Unlike many of the encampment restrictions we are seeing across the state at the local level, SB 31 takes a more compassionate approach by providing a 72-hour warning to impacted homeless individuals before an encampment is cleared, and requiring enforcement officers to provide information about sleeping alternatives, homeless and mental health services, or homeless shelters in the area.

SB 31 provides local jurisdictions with another tool to address one aspect of the homeless crisis that is endangering our kids. This bipartisan legislation will hopefully work together with Governor Newsom’s CARE Court to help end public camping in sensitive community areas, while also assisting the homeless with getting treatment for their mental and health needs.

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Image by Oto Godfrey