The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) cleared an encampment near Cabrillo Blvd in Santa Barbara County, the department shared in a social media post on January 15, 2026.
Crews with Caltrans removed the encampment site along Highway 101 at Cabrillo Blvd to ensure the safety of the travelling public, the department said in the post on X.
Around 30 cubic yards of debris were removed from the site.
Six people who were impacted by the clearing were offered assistance by Caltrans’ local social service partners, the department added.
For the safety of the travelling public, Caltrans crews cleared an encampment site along Highway 101 at Cabrillo Rd. in Santa Barbara County, removing 30 cubic yards of debris. The six individuals impacted were offered assistance by our local social service partners. pic.twitter.com/Z5CfZguSTZ
— Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) (@CaltransD5) January 15, 2026
Caltrans routinely clears encampments along the state highways as part of its goal to maintain safe travel corridors and maintain the integrity of the transportation network.
Encampments are not permitted on Caltrans’ right-of-way, according to a maintenance policy directive issued in 2022.
Encampments downgrade highway infrastructure and affect the maintenance and operation of the highway facilities. Removing encampments mitigates health, safety, access, and concealment issues for individuals experiencing homelessness as well as traveling public and adjacent neighborhoods, according to the directive.
Before Caltrans crews begin to remove an encampment, the California Highway Patrol are required to be present, according to the directive. Any person present on site when the removal crews arrive are given time to remove their possessions before any removal begins.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s Efforts to Curb Homelessness
Governor Gavin Newsom has made homelessness as a top state priority and launched the State Action for Facilitation on Encampments (SAFE) Task Force in 2025. As part of the initiative, the state works with local partners to coordinate encampment removals and connect unhoused people with housing, health care, and services.
So far, SAFE has removed 22 encampments from the state right-of-way in major cities across California, according to Caltrans. A total of 1,374 cubic yards of debris have been removed, enough material to fill more than 50 garbage trucks.
SAFE has also installed fencing, rocks, and other deterrents to maintain safety and prevent re-encampment, according to Caltrans.
Since July 1, 2021, Caltrans has removed a total of 20,063 encampments and collected 3.4 million cubic yards of litter and debris from public spaces and highways, as part of the Clean California initiative.
California’s sustained efforts to mitigate homelessness has helped the state buck national trends and report a dip in unsheltered homelessness, while the figures continued to climb nationwide, according to a recent statement from Governor Newsom.
Preliminary statewide data showed that California reported a 9% decrease in unsheltered homeless in 2025, the largest margin in over 15 years.
The state has been making investments to curb homelessness and launched a Homekey program in 2019, which created nearly 16,000 homes across 250 projects and reached more than 172,000 residents, according to the statement.
In December 2025, Governor Newsom announced more than $52 million in grant funding through 90 new projects to address homelessness and revitalize communities.
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Thank you VERY much for preventing these unsafe campfires from turning into wildfires ! … and also for discouraging people from camping in these unsafe ( for everyone) areas 🙂
I am surprised there are no protests with cute signs along State St over these people being removed from their homes.
I am surprised they didn’t find any MAGA Republicans assaulting children.
People with cognitive deficiencies are frequently surprised.
There’s also a big stack of this same junk up by Los Carneros southbound. Maybe we should let Mrs. Capps foot the bill for it since it’s living on her turf and poisoning our land and water.
You’re the major source of poison around here.
Low information post. Smarrmy conservatives with humming grindr accounts should move to a red state.
*Cabrillo Boulevard (not Road)
30 cubic yards of debris?! Wow, that’s a ton of crap. Never ending cycle with these illegal, toxic, and dangerous camps. We clean ‘em up and then they show up a few miles away in town every single time. It’s a shame.
BASIC – where should they go then?
Into all those rehab facilities and programs that we spent the 20+ BILLION dollars on, right? Oh wait…we don’t have them? Shoot.
BASIC – so, once again, where should they go?
Great question. Ask your Governor. Where’d the money go? Folks want to know.
BASIC – you don’t understand the question. Please stop deflecting and whatabouting in such a cowardly manner.
You oppose building them tiny homes. You oppose ALL attempts to convert unused properties such as hotels to give them starter homes. You oppose everything ever suggested to help them off the streets.
So once again, for the THIRD TIME, with all those many “degrees” you want us to believe you have, where should the homeless people go?
Man up and answer the question.
I already did. They should’ve spent the money we gave them to figure this out:
“Great question. Ask your Governor. Where’d the money go? Folks want to know.”
I’m happy they’re getting these folks off the freeways in these camps. It’s no good for anyone. Totally unacceptable.
If you want someone to talk to all night ask your lady, not someone you hate.
> I already did.
Pathetic liar.
BASICLIAR – that’s not an answer, it’s a p***y whatabout/deflection like you always do.
Saying “ask your Governor” does not answer the questions I asked YOU to answer about where YOU think “the homeless should go.”
In a sense though, you DID confirm something – you’re no man. At least not one with cajones or standards.
Hey liar, what kind of chair did your lady get you for your room? I hope it’s comfortable!
A comment indicative of a brain dead repuglikan. There is nothing they won’t cry about. Constant victims with no solutions.