Michael Neugent at his encampment on Orms Street in Providence on the I-95 overpass before he was arrested for trespassing and his belongings removed
San Francisco, California – Frustration over California’s persistent homelessness crisis is boiling over, with a new poll showing that more than one-third of voters now support arresting unhoused individuals who refuse shelter.
According to a POLITICO–UC Berkeley Citrin Center survey, 37% of California voters say they support arresting people camping outdoors if they decline offers of shelter. Another 24% “somewhat” agree with the approach, while 38% are opposed. The poll reflects growing public disillusionment with the state’s ongoing efforts to tackle homelessness — an issue that voters overwhelmingly cited as California’s biggest policy failure.
“If I were a policymaker, I would read this as people expressing frustration that homelessness hasn’t decreased in absolute terms,” said Jason Elliott, former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Gavin Newsom and a longtime Democratic strategist.
The divide between public sentiment and political leadership is stark. Nearly half of state policy influencers — 45% — oppose law enforcement-based solutions, even as some cities pursue more aggressive action. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, for instance, has proposed allowing the city to arrest people who repeatedly decline shelter. Other cities like Sacramento and San Francisco have also increased arrests following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling — Grants Pass v. Johnson — which allowed municipalities broader authority to criminalize public camping.
Gov. Newsom, while resisting arrests, supported the Grants Pass ruling and has urged local governments to clear encampments. Still, many jurisdictions remain reluctant to take action. “There are still jurisdictions in this state that are taking no action at all,” Elliott said. “That, to me, is a question that needs to be called.”
The poll also highlights a stark political divide: 50% of Democrats oppose arresting homeless individuals who reject shelter offers, compared to 21% who support it. Republicans overwhelmingly favor the approach, while independent voters remain split.
Despite voter frustration, state lawmakers have been cautious. A new bill from State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, a Democrat from Los Angeles County, would ban civil or criminal penalties for actions “immediately related to homelessness or basic survival.”
Still, 58% of voters and 65% of political influencers agree that housing and homelessness are the most pressing issues in the state. UC Berkeley political scientist Jack Citrin, who led the poll, said public dissatisfaction is rising.
“Voters don’t think the state has moved the needle,” Citrin said. “And in cities across California, you simply can’t avoid seeing it.”
