California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order demanding state officials remove houseless encampments will hold more narrative significance than legal weight, a local expert says, and may only have minimal impact on Berkeley’s unhoused population. According to housing policy expert Darrell Owens, the order is designed to signal to voters that Newsom is taking a strong stance on unsheltered houselessness. He also said in an email, it provides “rhetorical cover for progressive jurisdictions to remove encampments” and allows state agencies such as Caltrans to take them down. While acknowledging that certain locations are unsuitable for encampments due to public safety concerns, Owens argues that California will continue to have the nation’s worst encampment crisis until it provides adequate shelters and housing. Read more through link in bio. ✍️: Matthew Yoshimoto|matthewyoshimoto 📸: Chrissa Olson|chrissaolson . . . . #dailycal #berkeley #homelessness #housing #legislation