Homelessness

Unhoused people camping at Comanche Creek Greenway were given notice last week that the city of Chico will soon begin clearing the area.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office is imploring residents to remember their evacuation zones as this summer’s wildfire season approaches. Also, Gov. Gavin Newsom's CARE Court proposal passes its first hurdle in the state Legislature, and California's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) has reached a key milestone in its implementation of the new police decertification law.

The city of Chico designates three locations for unhoused residents to avoid enforcement of anti-camping laws. Also, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and other agencies held a briefing last week to explain current drought conditions, and Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to use a chunk of the state’s budget surplus to offset high prices.

The Butte County Board of Supervisors ends the county’s local emergency proclamation for COVID-19. Also, a federal judge is scheduled to consider arguments over proposed rules at the city of Chico’s shelter site for the homeless, and California lawmakers are at odds with Gov. Gavin Newsom in providing relief at the gas pump.

Volunteers fanned out across the state for the first statewide count of California’s homeless population since 2020. The number is expected to be higher, raising more questions about the impact of the state’s increased spending.

Low snowpack levels at the Klamath National Forest could affect nearby communities. Also, the Plumas County Library in Greenville aims to help with Dixie Fire recovery, and lawmakers in the Sacramento area want to speed up homeless encampment removals.

Temperatures as low as 29 degrees are expected through Friday morning in the North State’s valley and foothills.

Gov. Newsom says the situation with homeless encampments is unacceptable. The state housing agency is funding more services, while Caltrans is clearing some camps. But advocates are wary.

Heavy rain fell in the north state over the weekend — so much that Lake Oroville saw its levels rise 20 feet over the past week.

The Chico City Council Tuesday re-declared a shelter crisis in the city. The council allowed the previous declaration to expire at the end of June. Tuesday’s declaration comes after a federal judge in July issued a preliminary injunction banning the city from enforcing its anti-camping ordinances against unhoused people.