Gavin Newsom Aids With Berkeley Homeless Encampment Removal

BERKELEY, CA — Gov. Gavin Newsom earlier this week joined a Caltrans crew tasked with removing a Berkeley homeless encampment.

The California governor on Monday was at the encampment below an Interstate 80 overpass at University Avenue.

Newsom told reporters that the living conditions at this encampment and many others are “unacceptable,” and called on the state to develop a plan to humanely dismantle such camps and offer more housing options, KTVU reports.

Outreach workers were on the scene offering counseling on where those living at the encampment could find temporary shelters or other housing options according to the report.

"What you see here is unacceptable," Newsom said. "We had a big fire here. This is a high safety risk, a public health risk. There are hundreds and hundreds of rats running around. People should not live in conditions like this and we've accepted it too long."