LOS ANGELES — Three years ago, a man named Joel Hernandez constructed a small wooden shelter beneath the 405 freeway in Los Angeles.
With the assistance of a friend, who has his own makeshift home nearby, Hernandez painstakingly built and reinforced his shelter on a hillside.
With a history of having his encampments dismantled by city and state authorities, the 62-year-old Hernandez is prepared for the possibility that his time in this improvised shelter on state land may soon end. Recently, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an executive order aimed at clearing homeless encampments from state land, which includes areas under freeways.
“You get used to it,” Hernandez stated. “I have to rebuild it every time.”
Many individuals living in similar circumstances expressed a sense of resignation, questioning, “Where else can we go?”
This latest order follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this summer that allows municipalities to enforce bans on outdoor sleeping in public areas, even when no shelter beds are available.
The executive order compels state agencies to quickly act, taking cues from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), which has removed over 11,000 encampments and over 248,000 cubic yards of debris since July 2021 along state rights-of-way.
Despite these efforts, many people return to their encampments after city officials leave.
“I haven’t found a better place,” said Hernandez, who has been on a shelter waiting list for three years. He appreciates the community among friends and neighbors within the encampment.
However, living under the freeway poses safety risks. A recent fire decimated many structures, leaving the area littered with debris and burnt items.
Esca Guernon, who lives nearby with her dog, has experienced theft and disturbances but continues to return to her spot after encampment removals.
“We have to take what we have, like our bikes or something, and we go over there for them to clean up,” Guernon explained. “I come back because I don’t know where else to go.”
Recently, outreach teams visited the area, providing cold water and snacks while working to connect residents with shelter resources.
One outreach leader remarked that building relationships with homeless individuals can take time and multiple visits.
Critics of the executive order argue it does little to resolve the homeless crisis, intensifying the stress of those who remain without shelter.
Proponents, including local businesses, contend that these encampments pose significant health and safety challenges for both the residents and nearby community members.
Newsom emphasized the need for urgency in local government actions regarding the homeless crisis.
