Class action lawsuit claims San Diego officials who cleared out encampments violated constitutional rights of the homeless



San Diego officials are accused in a federal class action lawsuit of violating the constitutional rights of homeless people when they cleared out encampments and threw away their possessions.

'They just keep wanting to keep kicking people while they're down ... It is crushing.'

The lawsuit says that encampment sweeps violate due process rights of the homeless as well as equal protection rights.

Officials ordered that encampments be cleared out in East County, but homeless people say they were not given enough notice to protect their possessions. Among the property cited in the lawsuit was a woman's walker and the cremated ashes of her son and husband. In another instance, a woman claimed that workers trashed birth certificates, photographs, jewelry, and her daughter's first tooth.

Others said that police officers performing the sweeps sometimes sorted through the possessions in order to steal valuable items.

“Defendants’ actions are making the homelessness crisis worse,” claimed the lawsuit, which added that officials' “constant and relentless threats of criminal punishment upon Citizens for being poor and unhoused are a cruel and ineffective approach that betrays a deep, willful misunderstanding of the problem.”

Homeless advocate Michael McConnell applauded the lawsuit.

"They just keep wanting to keep kicking people while they're down," McConnell told KFMB-TV. "It is crushing, and I've seen everything. I've seen them throw away people's wheelchairs and walkers and bicycles and IDs and medications."

The lawsuit says that homeless people are ordered to remove their property, but they're not given any other options.

"I don't think in any part of the region is there enough shelter for folks to get off the streets and have a safe place to store their belongings, so it's not like there's options for people, and there certainly isn't enough affordable housing for people," McConnell explained.

'Unfortunately, it just does absolutely nothing to help solve this issue.'

The officials named as defendants in the lawsuit did not offer any comment about the matter. The litigation asks for the possessions to be returned and for unspecified compensation.

The lawsuit may be settled by the U.S. Supreme Court, which is scheduled to decide a similar case later this year.

"Unfortunately, it just does absolutely nothing to help solve this issue, and it just puts people in more dire straits trying to get out of it," McConnell said.

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Sports Illustrated model leaving California because of out-of-control crime and homeless crisis, tells Newsom to 'take a seat'



A Sports Illustrated model is moving her family out of California because of the state's out-of-control crime and homeless crisis.

Former Sports Illustrated model Kristen Louelle Gaffney and her husband, former NFL running back Tyler Gaffney, are moving their family to Nashville, Tennessee. The husband and wife were both born and raised in California, but the living conditions have become so unbearable that they felt the need to migrate to Nashville for the sake of their three children.

Gaffney said the current state of California is "embarrassing" and "sad."

"I mean we already have the highest taxes, we should arguably have the most beautiful state, the most clean state," she said on "Jesse Watters Primetime." "But instead we have the number one homeless problem in America."

She added, "We're constantly giving. What more do you want from us?"

Earlier this month, a state audit found that California spent $24 billion to combat homelessness over the past five years but didn't consistently track whether the massive outlay of public money actually did anything to improve the issue.

California Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher blamed the Newsom administration.

"This is standard Gavin Newsom – make a splashy announcement, waste a bunch of taxpayer money, and completely fail to deliver," Gallagher told Fox News. "Californians are tired of the homeless crisis, and they’re even more tired of Gavin’s excuses. We need results – period, full stop."

Gaffney noted that San Diego no longer feels safe.

“You know, you come to California to — it is the City of Dreams, the State of Dreams, right? You think this is where I can accomplish anything, but it does not feel safe anymore. I don’t feel safe going to the grocery store. I don’t go anywhere outside, especially in metropolitan areas without my husband with me, and I certainly don’t take my kids into city limits," she said.

Even Karen Bass – the progressive Democrat Mayor of Los Angeles – is not immune to the rampant crime. Her house was broken into early Sunday morning. This is the second time in three years the home of Bass has been broken into.

When asked what she would say to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Gaffney replied, "Take a seat buddy, it's time to let someone else come in clean up the state that you so-called love."

She said Newsom "is fumbling over and over again" in his governance of California.

Gaffney vowed not to bring any Democrat politics with her to the red state of Tennessee.

An analysis of Internal Revenue Service statistics found that California had lost the most income tax revenue in 2021 because of the mass exodus from the state. The research discovered that California had lost approximately $340 million in 2021 IRS tax revenue.

Numerous celebrities have left California in recent years, including Angelina Jolie, Joe Rogan, Sylvester Stallone, Mark Wahlberg, and Scott Baio.

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Sports Illustrated model no longer California dreamin': 'Does not feel safe anymore' www.youtube.com

California spent $24B on homeless crisis but didn't track effectiveness: Audit — GOP leaders demand accountability



A state audit released Tuesday revealed that California spent nearly $24 billion during the last five fiscal years to address the homeless crisis but failed to track the effectiveness of the funded programs.

State Republican leaders are demanding answers and accountability from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration regarding the untracked spending.

The state auditor's report, requested last year by Democratic state Sen. Dave Cortese, revealed that the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, the government agency responsible for providing resources to the state's homeless population, did not consistently track or evaluate efforts to end homelessness. Additionally, the audit found that only two of the five state-funded programs meant to address the issue were "likely cost-effective." The other three programs lacked sufficient outcome data to assess their cost-effectiveness, it noted.

"In general, this report concludes that the State must do more to assess the cost-effectiveness of its homelessness programs," wrote California State Auditor Grant Parks. "Although Cal ICH reported in 2023 financial information covering fiscal years 2018-19 through 2020-21 related to all state-funded homelessness programs, it has not continued to track and report this data since that time, despite the significant amount of additional funding the State awarded to these efforts in the past two years."

Parks stated that Cal ICH's plan to end homelessness also lacks "a consistent method for gathering information on the costs and outcomes for individual programs."

The state auditor recommended that lawmakers require state agencies and Cal ICH to report on costs and outcomes.

Sen. Cortese acknowledged that the audit "highlights the need for improved data and greater transparency at both the state and local levels."

"Unfortunately, there is a balkanized approach to data collection and outcomes, with no centralized system for tracking our investments," Cortese said. "This audit underscores the urgent need to establish best practices and create a blueprint for how the State of California and our cities can address our most visible challenge."

California Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher blasted Newsom for failing to solve the state's growing homeless problem.

"This is standard Gavin Newsom – make a splashy announcement, waste a bunch of taxpayer money, and completely fail to deliver," Gallagher told Fox News Digital. "Californians are tired of the homeless crisis, and they're even more tired of Gavin's excuses. We need results – period, full stop."

Republican state Sen. Roger Niello told Fox News Digital that he "wasn't terribly surprised" by the audit's results but noted its findings were "troubling."

"The one issue I had with the audit was that the focus was mostly on housing and shelter issues, which is certainly important, but really very little about actual results, getting people out of homelessness, not just into shelter," Niello stated. "That's sort of half the job, maybe not even quite half the job. And, so that was a little bit of a disappointment."

Cal ICH responded to the audit, stating it "generally agrees with the recommendations provided by CSA and will take appropriate measures to implement where possible." It also insisted that local municipalities are "primarily responsible for implementing these programs and collecting data on outcomes that the state can use to evaluate program effectiveness," Fox News Digital reported.

"The Council continues to improve its ability to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent judiciously and effectively, including by providing technical support to local jurisdictions to help align data standards and reporting," Cal ICH added.

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San Francisco residents, hotels sue city over rampant crime, homelessness, open-air drug use



Several San Francisco residents filed a lawsuit Thursday over the rampant crime, homelessness, and open-air drug use that they say city officials have failed to stop, the Associated Press reported. Operators of the Phoenix Hotel and the Best Western Road Coach also joined the lawsuit against the city.

The plaintiffs, including five anonymous residents and the hotels' operators, claim that the Tenderloin district has become a "containment zone" for illegal activities. They argued that city officials have prevented the homeless encampments and open-air illicit drug markets from spilling into nearby neighborhoods but have allowed it to continue in the Tenderloin.

The group's lawsuit demands that the city clean up the poor conditions in the neighborhood; the plaintiffs are not seeking monetary damages.

Matthew Davis, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys, stated, "They demand an end to the rampant illegal street vending and from the squalor and misery that exists throughout their neighborhood because the city has decided that people in the throes of addiction can live and die on the Tenderloin's streets."

Davis told KABC, "Every day, at all hours, people are dealing drugs and using drugs in front of [the plaintiffs'] apartment building. There are encampments. People are lighting bonfires. Their sidewalks are filthy with all kinds of problems from used syringes to human waste."

One of the anonymous plaintiffs, referred to as Jane Roe, explained that drug dealers often loiter outside the building where she lives with her two young children. Roe claimed that she has seen "users openly injecting or smoking narcotics" and individuals "who appear unconscious or dead."

Susan Roe, an elderly woman and a plaintiff in the case, stated in the complaint that she has a difficult time navigating the neighborhood's sidewalks with her walker because they are blocked by shopping carts and broken bicycles. Instead, she is forced to walk in the street, where she navigates around "excrement, used syringes, vomit, and garbage."

One of the hotel operators claimed that the establishment is facing challenges in hiring workers because of the area's squalid conditions. The Phoenix Hotel has decided not to renew its lease next year, citing the issues around the establishment.

The Coalition on Homelessness, a nonprofit group, is also suing San Francisco, claiming the city's sweeps of homeless encampments violated individuals' rights.

In a statement to KABC, the city attorney's office said, "While we understand and share the frustration of Tenderloin businesses and residents, the City is making efforts to reduce crime, disrupt open-air drug markets, and address homelessness, all while complying with the preliminary injunction issued in the Coalition on Homelessness case."

Democratic Mayor London Breed believes that recently approved Proposition E will curb the issues plaguing the Tenderloin district by increasing police officer presence and resources.

Breed's office stated, "We have made improvements in the neighborhood, but the mayor understands the frustrations of residents and businesses in the Tenderloin and will continue her efforts to make the neighborhood safer and cleaner."


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Gavin Newsom's reaction is PRICELESS when DeSantis whips out San Francisco 'poop map'



Last week’s debate between Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom was so brutal that many have speculated that the California governor’s career may have sustained irreparable damage.

DeSantis came armed with facts and visual aids, which left his opponent floundering.

Many have likely seen the children’s book excerpt DeSantis presented at the event – a page from a book commonly taught in California elementary schools called “Gender Queer,” which was so pornographic that parts of it had to be blurred out on national television.

But that wasn’t the only physical evidence he wielded against Newsom.

He also brought a “poop map” that shows the locations of human feces found within the city limits of San Francisco.

The geographic depiction of the city is quite literally solid brown, as there are innumerable documented sites.

“California does have freedoms that other states don't. You have the freedom to defecate in public,” DeSantis fired, before presenting the map.

Newsom had nothing but his phony politician’s laugh to add.

“They're not the freedoms our founding fathers envisioned,” DeSantis continued. “But they have contributed to the destruction of the quality of life in California, and the results speak for themselves. … Human feces is now a fact of life, except when a communist dictator comes to town; then they cleaned up the streets; they lined the streets with Chinese flags.”

Ouch.


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Cali residents FLEEING hellhole as San Francisco now leads the US in PLUMMETING home values



There's no question that the West Coast is home to some of the most beautiful places in the country and perhaps even the world.

However, it’s also home to the failed state of California, specifically the city of San Francisco — which is now overrun by the homeless and has streets covered in feces and drug needles.

According to Lauren Chen, it’s also home to “sky-high property prices, excessive taxes and regulations, the state actively trying to trans your kids behind your back,” and “rolling blackouts, looting.”

“All of the above mentioned are very real problems that the people living in these cities and in these states have to deal with on a daily basis,” Chen adds.

Because of these issues, Californians who can afford to leave are fleeing in masses. However, many people deserting the state won’t get back the top dollar they paid to live there.

A recent article from Newsmax reports that San Francisco is now topping the U.S. in plunging home values.

The article states: “About one in eight (12.3%) homes that sold in San Francisco during the three months ending July 31 was purchased for less than the seller paid for it, up from 5% a year earlier. That’s a higher share than any other major U.S. metro and is quadruple the national rate (3%).”

Chen believes this data is concerning because “it means number one: a lot of people who invested in the real estate market in San Francisco, in New York, they’re going to be taking major losses. Number two: we also have to keep in mind that this decline in prices isn’t because of something like increased housing opportunity.”

Rather, it’s “because people are actually packing up and just leaving the city, leaving these states.”

While Chen believes the issues that are causing people to leave are a direct result of who they voted for, she hopes that they’re capable of realizing that themselves.

“You’re not liking the crime, you’re not liking how it’s getting harder and harder to run a business. I don’t see how you can simultaneously still be liberal, still be Democrat, because guess what, there’s no one else that you have to blame in those situations than the Democrats.”


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Video shows driver intentionally ramming his car into elderly homeless woman in parking lot of California church



California police are asking for the public's help in identifying a driver who intentionally rammed his car into a 77-year-old woman in a church parking lot after a verbal altercation.

The video is from surveillance cameras at the parking lot of the First Presbyterian Church of Heyward in Castro Valley on Saturday evening.

It shows a white sedan almost back into the homeless woman before they appear to have a verbal dispute. The car then circles around and sideswipes the woman, forcing her to drop her cane.

Then the car circles around again in the parking lot and hits the back end of a different car before speeding up to slam into the woman and her cart again. The woman is momentarily thrown onto the car's hood before falling to the ground.

Deputies were called to the scene at about 7:25 p.m.

Church workers told KTVU-TV that they were shocked and had never seen the driver there before. Aaron Horner, the church's director of community outreach, said that the woman was homeless, hearing impaired, and often attended the church.

A program manager at the church told KTVU that she visited the hospitalized woman and that she had suffered head lacerations and bruising but was in good spirits.

Police said that the license plate of the car was not visible in the video but that it was likely a mid-2010s Nissan Altima. The driver faces charges of felony hit and run and vehicular assault.

"Disgusting. Someone who is lawless, someone who does not have compassion or empathy for anyone else, disregard for life. We want to bring this person to justice to have them be held accountable for it," said Alameda County Sheriff's Office Lt. Tya Modeste about the case.

Horner also had a message for the driver.

"I hope you get the help you need, man," he said. "Hurting other people, that's not it."

Here's a local news report about the incident:

Heinous hit-and-run attack on homeless woman caught on camerawww.youtube.com

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10 homeless people swept away from encampment in California by floodwaters. 1 dead, 5 rescued, 4 missing and presumed dead.



Authorities said one person died when about 10 homeless people were swept away from an encampment by raging floodwaters, and others are missing and presumed dead.

The incident unfolded on Tuesday when a record-breaking storm hit the southern California city of Ontario, about 40 miles east of Los Angeles.

Police said they were called to the scene of a water basin at about 9:46 a.m. after people said they witnessed a group being swept away by a sudden flood of water through a homeless encampment.

Authorities believe there were 10 people swept away. Of those, five were able to be rescued while one was confirmed dead, and about four others are still missing and presumed dead.

Authorities later identified the one fatality as 63-year-old Anthony Ray Lopez Sr. of Ontario. His body was found nearly three miles from where he was first swept away.

The Ontario Fire Department said it was using sonar technology in its recovery operation.

KTLA-TV spoke to one of the survivors about her ordeal.

"The water just came, and there was nothing we could do," said a tearful Cassandra Gonzales, who believes one of her best friends is among the missing and presumed dead.

"When I would go underwater, I would just try to make sure that I came back up," she explained. "I made sure I wouldn't hit the middles that separated the tunnels."

As of Friday, there were still four people missing and two missing persons reports filed with the Ontario Police Department. Authorities said there was still the possibility that some of the missing were able to climb to safety by themselves.

Police said 28-year-old Josephine Dominguez was one of the people still missing.

Officials say there are many "no trespassing" signs around the storm drains, but homeless people disregard them and are in great danger when rains hit.

"We really need to stress to our public the dangers associated with these flood control channels and we need to stay out of there, at all costs, because the risk associated with being down there, because of the sudden changes in weather and the flow of water, incidents like this unfortunately could occur," said Deputy Chief Mike Wedell.

Here's more about the harrowing incident:

Search and recovery efforts continue in Ontariowww.youtube.com

HORRIFYING new video of San Francisco perfectly illustrates how progressive policies do NOT work



It's no secret that California's once-beautiful "City by the Bay" is now overrun with drug addiction, mental illness, and homelessness problems that have only gotten worse after decades of progressive Democratic leadership.

Michael Shellenberger, author of "San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities" and lifelong Democrat, has been working to save his home city from ruin by shedding light on California's ever-worsening nightmare which progressive Democratic elected officials have not only failed to address but have actively enabled.

He recently took to Twitter to post an absolutely shocking thread of videos that show how bad things have really gotten in San Francisco and should be required viewing material for all voters ahead of the 2022 midterm elections.

\u201cSan Francisco right now\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942

And, for a little reminder of how we got to this point:

\u201c\u201cIf we\u2019re being honest, they pay you to be homeless here\u201d\n\nThey also let you sell fentanyl to children \u2014->\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942
\u201chttps://t.co/HpHjg8IYBh\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942

Democrats say they are helping homeless people who suffer from mental illnesses and drug addictions with their progressive policies, but here's what the people they are supposedly "helping" have to say:

\u201c\u201cListen to the homeless\u201d\n\nYes, let\u2019s\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942

And here's what California's kids get to walk through on their way home from school:

\u201cHere\u2019s what schoolchildren see:\n\nhttps://t.co/YAp0u9Sitz\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942
\u201cHow do you get civilized people to dismantle their civilization? \n\nMostly by asking for an inch, and taking a mile. \n\nConsider a few examples of how it\u2019s been done.\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942

Preach, Shellenberger, preach!

\u201cPoint out the abuses in psychiatric hospitals. \n\nAsk that they be replaced with community-based clinics. \n\nThen, demand that they be shut down *before* you create the clinics. \n\nAfter you have some clinics, make them optional.\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942
\u201cDefend the \u201cright\u201d of people with schizophrenia to live out of grocery carts, sleep on the street, and become addicted to hard drugs. \n\nWhen anyone questions whether that\u2019s humane or safe, call them a fascist.\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942
\u201cPoint out the problems with police departments, jails, and prisons. \n\nAsk that they be replaced with social workers, cashless bail, and voluntary drug treatment. \n\nThen, demand that they be shut down *before* replacing them.\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942
\u201cDeny and downplay rising crime as long as possible before excusing it as necessary to social justice. \n\nWhen anyone questions whether such policies are fair or safe, call them a racist and fascist.\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942
\u201cPoint out the problems with homeless shelters. \n\nAsk that they be replaced with free, unconditional housing. \n\nThen, deprive the shelters of sufficient funding to operate safely and with sufficient beds.\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662731942
\u201cAfter you have some shelters and housing, make them optional.\n\nIf anyone suggests it\u2019s not safe to let the untreated mentally ill and drug addicts sleep outside, denounce them as a fascist and racist.\n\nRepeat these steps with every institution needed for civilization to function.\u201d
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1662732331

San Francisco homeless man says he moved from Texas because it's 'easy' in the Bay Area: 'They pay you to be homeless here'



A homeless man in California recently admitted that he moved to the West Coast from Texas because he knew it was easier to live the homeless lifestyle in San Francisco.

"If you're gonna be homeless, it's pretty f***ing easy here," he said of the Bay Area city. "I mean, if we're gonna be realistic, they pay you to be homeless here."

What are the details?

The homeless man, identified only as James, went on to say that he receives $820 in welfare and food stamps every month and added that living on the street is easier in San Fransisco because the progressive city simply doesn't enforce anti-camping laws.

James' frank admission came as part of a series of street interviews conducted by best-selling author Michael Shellenberger. The author, who is known for "Apocalypse Never" and "San Francscko," posted some of the interviews in a Twitter thread Wednesday.

"People are surprised by these interviews because much of what we've read is propaganda put forward by activists with an agenda [and] reporters who are also ideological but also lazy [and] too scared to ask direct questions of street people," he said in one of the tweets.

People say lack of housing forces local residents into the streets, but James says he came from Texas to San Francisco for the drugs, the non-enforcement of anti-camping laws, and the $820/month in welfare & food stamps. James says he sold fentanyl, 2 weeks ago, to a 15-year-old.pic.twitter.com/5qMr6tmlWs
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1644416763

James said he started receiving the government assistance with nothing more than a phone call.

"Why wouldn't I do it, it's f***ing free money," he said, adding, "This right now is literally by choice, literally by choice."

Then, offering a window into the rampant drug abuse customary in and around homeless encampments, James went on to claim that just a couple of weeks ago, he sold fentanyl to a 15-year-old.

What else?

In another interview, a homeless man identified as Ben claimed that only a small fraction of the homeless in San Fransisco are actually from there. More than 90% he alleged, are from outside the city.

He also pushed back against the prevailing progressive narrative people are predominantly driven to homelessness by poverty. Rather, he said crippling drug addiction is by far the primary cause.

It's reasonable to ask whether I'm seeking out outliers, but I met James 5 minutes after parking my car and he was the first person I interviewed, and Ben, below, was the 4th person we interviewed after ~20 minutes on the street doing interviewshttps://twitter.com/ShellenbergerMD/status/1490130669875253250?s=20&t=8wpXy2kh64brr9LxvYb06g\u00a0\u2026
— Michael Shellenberger (@Michael Shellenberger) 1644416990

Ben told Shellenberger he supports his drug addiction by engaging in petty crimes like "boosting" (shoplifting and then reselling the items) and breaking into cars.

Both Ben and James said violence and overdoses are commonplace in homeless encampments. James also said that law enforcement officers have no chance of stopping the drug cycle since San Francisco is a sanctuary city. Immigrant dealers who are back on the street within days, he claimed.

Anything else?

Last year, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom caught heat for inviting homeless people from across the country to come pursue "new beginnings" in the Golden State.

"To the extent that people want to come here for new beginnings and all income levels, that's part of the California dream," Newsom said as he rolled out his California Comeback Plan.

Rampant homelessness and crime have been growing problems in San Francisco, in particular, for years. The city's inability to solve the problems is a source of angst for residents. Last summer, a whopping 40% of residents indicated they planned to leave the city over the next few years due to the rapidly deteriorating quality of life.