California Governor Gavin Newsom has sued the city of Norwalk, a Los Angeles suburb for a homeless shelter ban, accusing it of sidestepping laws meant to protect the homeless.
What does the lawsuit say?
The lawsuit, filed Monday, is part of an ongoing effort by Newsom to push back against what he sees as local resistance and defiance of state laws amid an increase in the state’s homeless population.
The legal action stems from Norwalk’s recent extension of a temporary ban on new homeless shelters and emergency housing, which was voted on by city council in September, and is a move that state officials claim violates multiple California housing and anti-discrimination laws.
In a statement, California Attorney General Rob Bonta made clear that local resistance would not be tolerated
“Our message is clear, our message is consistent,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said Monday. “If local governments attempt to skirt state housing laws, if they refuse to do the bare minimum to address the dire lack of affordable and accessible housing in California, we will hold them accountable.”
The lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court argues that the city violated half a dozen housing laws by enacting such a moratorium. It is asking the court to halt the city’s law.
With a population of around 100,000 and located just 15 miles southeast of Los Angeles, Norwalk joins other cities that have faced California’s legal actions over housing policies that state officials argue are blocking critical support for the growing homeless population. The ban, set to last into next year, recently thwarted an initiative by Los Angeles County to convert a local hotel into temporary housing for homeless residents.
What are Norwalk officials saying?
Norwalk officials argue the city has done its fair share to address the homeless crisis, but cite “public safety concerns” arising from state-backed programs like Project Roomkey, which places unhoused individuals in local motels.
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What has Newsom said?
Despite the city’s claims, Newsom’s administration responded to Norwalk’s moratorium by urging local elected officials to reconsider the policy. The state in September warned the city of potential legal action and last month revoked the city’s housing plan, effectively disqualifying it from receiving state funding for homeless and housing programs.
Newsom, who has frequently spotlighted housing as a pillar of his policy agenda, also sharply criticized Norwalk’s stance, calling the ban “inexcusable.”
“The Norwalk City Council’s failure to reverse this ban, despite knowing it is unlawful, is inexcusable,” Newsom said in a statement Monday. “No community should turn its back on its residents in need.”
The state’s lawsuit signals an intensifying showdown between California and local governments over the rapidity and scale of new housing development. The stakes are high as California’s Department of Housing and Community Development estimates the state must add 2.5 million housing units by 2030 to address the housing crisis adequately. Currently, the state is far from reaching this goal, averaging just 100,000 new homes annually, with only a fraction being affordable units.
This comes as Newsom has thrown significant resources at California’s housing crisis — an estimated $40 billion toward affordable housing and $27 billion for homelessness initiatives since taking office.
His administration has also ramped up enforcement, suing several cities for rejecting affordable housing developments and recently signing a historic package of 32 housing bills aimed at fast-tracking the state’s efforts.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
