“The Norwalk city council’s failure to reverse this ban without a lawsuit, despite knowing it is unlawful, is inexcusable,” Newsom said. “No community should turn its back on its residents in need – especially while there are people in your community sleeping on the streets. No city is exempt from doing their part to solve the homelessness crisis.”
California has reached a settlement with Norwalk, a Southern California city that Gov. Gavin Newsom accused of violating state law by enacting a blanket ban on homeless shelters.
If the terms of the agreement are approved by the court, the settlement will require Norwalk to repeal its ban, establish and fund a trust for the development of affordable housing, and make a concerted effort to inform local stakeholders of the changes.
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, California state Gov. Gavin Newsom described the city’s refusal to reverse the ban “inexcusable.”
“The Norwalk city council’s failure to reverse this ban without a lawsuit, despite knowing it is unlawful, is inexcusable,” Newsom said. “No community should turn its back on its residents in need – especially while there are people in your community sleeping on the streets. No city is exempt from doing their part to solve the homelessness crisis.”
As part of the proposed settlement, Norwalk must also submit regular reports to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, or HCD, which will monitor the city’s compliance going forward.
“Before filing our lawsuit, Governor Newsom, HCD Director Velasquez, and I warned the City of Norwalk on several occasions that there would be serious consequences if it moved forward with its unlawful housing ban. Regrettably, our warnings went unheeded, and we were forced to take legal action,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a press release.
Newsom’s office notes that Norwalk issued its ordinance against homeless shelters mere weeks after the governor signed an executive order directing cities to use state funds to address California’s homelessness crisis.
Norwalk alone, says the governor’s office, has received nearly $29 million in homelessness-mitigation-related funds since 2019.
In response to the proposal, a spokesperson for the city said that its ordinance was designed as a temporary solution, intended to mitigate resident complaints about past shelters.
“Too often, cities have seen homeless programs rushed into place without adequate
safeguards, accountability, or coordination,” City of Norwalk spokesperson Levy Sun said. “That approach fails both the unhoused and the broader community.
The state, though, says that Norwalk’s apparent capitulation should serve as a warning to other cities inclined to challenge the governor’s authority.
“We are more than willing to work with any city or county that wants to do its part to solve our housing crisis,” Bonta said of the case and proposed settlement. “By that same token, if any city or county wants to test our resolve, today’s settlement is your answer. All of us have a legal and moral responsibility to help — not hurt — those struggling to keep a roof over their heads or lacking housing altogether.”
“If any city or county wants to test our resolve, today’s settlement is your answer,” Bonta said. “All of us have a legal and moral responsibility to help — not hurt — those struggling to keep a roof over their heads or lacking housing altogether.”
Sources
A California city tried to ban homeless shelters. It’s giving up after Newsom’s lawsuit
Governor Newsom announces Norwalk to overturn illegal homeless shelter ban as part of settlement
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