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President Trump was due to arrive in California late Tuesday morning amid growing questions about his government's plans to get involved in the homelessness crisis in the state.
Trump is in the state for a two-day visit, with stops to raise money in Palo Alto, Beverly Hills and San Diego. The fundraising is expected to bring in $ 15 million and will benefit Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee comprised of the Trump Campaign and the Republican National Committee. Although he has not scheduled any public events, the president is likely to tackle the issue of homelessness, which he has used in recent months to criticize the deep blue state before the 2020 elections.
California officials are wary of Trump's intentions, fearing he wants to use homelessness and urban problems as a tipping point for the 2020 campaign. But they said they were willing to work with Trump .
In a letter issued Monday and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and by mayors and county supervisors from across the state, state officials asked for 50,000 additional vouchers to help the people most affected by the housing crisis in California. They also urged the Trump administration to entice homeowners to accept the vouchers.
"This is a pretty remarkable opportunity, if they are sincere in their desires," Newsom told a news conference. "They are not sincere and that is, God forbid, another subject – politics, not good politics – they will reject it from the outset." I hope that's not the case. "
Last week, Trump's administration officials spent several days in Los Angeles meeting with municipal and county officials and homeless advocates. To the dismay of some local officials, the administration has not spoken publicly about its plans. Some believe that the goal is to eliminate homeless camps by transferring people to government-run shelters on federal lands.
Monday, the White House has launched a new goal: the deregulation of the housing market to increase the supply of apartments, condominiums and housing.
Last week, justice ministry officials discussed possible "workarounds" with LA law enforcement officials in Los Angeles to resolve the court cases, rulings and lawsuits that have limited the manner in which the Los Angeles Police can carry out law enforcement efforts in the camps.
Of the estimated 130,000 homeless people in California, about 90,000 had been homeless since last year. In the city of Los Angeles, the number jumped in 2019 to more than 36,000, an increase of 16%. In the county, the number is only 59,000, an increase of 12% over last year.
For Trump, he said in interviews that scenes of homelessness that appear to be suffering from mental illness and walking around garbage mounds in cities are unacceptable. In fact, he said, they are "inappropriate".
During a speech delivered at a Tuesday Republican conference in Baltimore, Trump said his administration had given California a "notice", though it did not specify what "opinion" was.
"Clean it up," he said. "You have to do something. You can not have it. These are our big American cities and they are embarrassing. "
In anticipation of Trump's arrival, protesters rallied on Tuesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a Saturday restriction on VIP flights prohibiting aircraft, gliders, parachute operations, hang gliding, streamer towing and "balloon operations" within a 32-mile radius of Palo Alto.
Alan Marling, a San Francisco-based activist who helped organize an event in Embarcadero in San Francisco, where a giant Trump baby balloon should be flown, said protesters will fly in a balloon despite restrictions.
"If Donald Trump spends taxpayer money" to prevent activists from wearing Trump baby balloons, "that proves that there is one," said Marling.
In South Bay, organizers of Raging Grannies and Vigil for Democracy planned to meet at Rossotti Field in the Portola Valley. Once Air Force One has landed at Moffett Field in Mountain View, they will follow the president's helicopters on a fundraiser at a Palo Alto mansion owned by Scott McNealy. The former home of Sun Microsystems co-founder is on the market for $ 96 million.
A copy of the invitation to the event, organized by the Republican National Committee, indicates prices ranging from $ 1,000 to $ 100,000. The big spenders will have a photo opportunity with the president, as well as prime seats for lunch. A donation of $ 35,500 provides only "favorite seats". The local organizer is not named.
And in Los Angeles, where Trump is to spend the night, the Revolution Club will protect his visit to Beverly Hills, where he is scheduled to attend a round table with supporters and a fundraising committee dinner at the home developer's home and Republican donor. Geoff Palmer.
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