Department of Transportation: Homeless Encampment and Litter Program.

Existing law vests the Department of Transportation with full possession and control of the state highway system, including associated property. Existing law authorizes the Department of Transportation to require the removal of any encroachment in, under, or over any state highway. Existing law authorizes the department to offer for lease to a city, county, political subdivision of a city or county, or state agency airspace and real property that meets certain requirements for purposes of a temporary emergency shelter or feeding program, subject to certain conditions. Existing law authorizes counties to establish a homeless adult and family multidisciplinary personnel team with the goal of facilitating the expedited identification, assessment, and linkage of homeless individuals to housing and supportive services within that county and to allow provider agencies and members of the personnel team to share confidential information for the purpose of coordinating housing and supportive services to ensure continuity of care. This bill would require the department, within its maintenance program, to establish a Homeless Encampment and Litter Program to provide timely abatement and cleanup of homeless encampments on department property and expedited and coordinated access to housing and supportive services. The bill would require the department to coordinate with homeless service provider agencies and to establish homeless adult and family multidisciplinary personnel teams. The bill would require the department, upon receiving a report of a homeless encampment, to deploy a multidisciplinary personnel team to expedite and coordinate access to housing and supportive services for occupants of the encampment. Before proceeding to remove a homeless encampment, the bill would require the department to use best efforts to assist occupants of the encampment to voluntarily accept supportive services and relocate. If the department responds to 3 or more homeless encampments within 30 days at the same location, the bill would require, rather than authorize, the department to offer the location for lease for purposes of a temporary emergency shelter or feeding program pursuant to the above-described provisions. The bill would provide that implementation of these provisions is contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature.