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This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

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California counties are reporting decreases in homelessness, suggesting the state is finally making progress in solving one of its most difficult and persistent problems.

But even as Gov. Gavin Newsom and local officials are celebrating, the money that made those wins possible is at risk of evaporating.

President Donald Trump’s administration this month tried to block organizations that don’t support its social agenda from accessing federal homeless housing funds — causing experts in the field to worry that politically liberal California could find itself blacklisted from crucial dollars.

Cuts to state homelessness funding are also on the horizon, and some local jurisdictions are pulling back funds as they struggle with their own budget deficits. That has counties, nonprofits and industry experts worried California’s homeless counts will soon go right back up.

“I do think that we’re doing something right,” Sharon Rapport, director of California state policy for the Corporation for Supportive Housing, said of the recent decreases. “That all may come to a crashing end with a lot of concerns with what’s happening at the federal level, federal policy changing and funding cuts happening.”

Of the 29 places in California that reported an official homeless census this year, more than half saw a decrease compared to 2024, according to an analysis of point-in-time counts by the Hub for Urban Initiatives. That includes drops of about a quarter in Contra Costa and Sonoma counties, 20% in Santa Cruz County, 16% in Ventura County and 14% in Merced County.

San Diego and Los Angeles counties each saw a decrease of less than 10%. For LA County, this marks the second year in a row that homelessness is down.

But funding worries loom like a black cloud over those promising results. As purse strings tighten, service providers will have to cut staff, programs and bed capacity, meaning they can help fewer homeless people. For years, California cities, counties and nonprofits have been pushing the Newsom administration to provide an ongoing source of homeless funding, so service providers can plan ahead without worrying each year about how much money they’ll get.

Some organizations already are feeling the squeeze.

From December through July, Union Station Homeless Services in Los Angeles County turned away 700 families who needed housing, said CEO Katie Hill.

“We just don’t have anything available for them,” Hill said.

The county cut housing vouchers as the city and county struggled with financial fallout from recent wildfires, falling property tax revenues and increasing legal payouts.

Other organizations are closing their doors for good. Downtown Streets Team, which helps unhoused residents in 16 California cities find housing while earning money cleaning up local streets, plans to close next month after two decades of service.

“The financial and political environment we operate in has shifted dramatically in recent months,” CEO Julie Gardner said in an emailed statement. “During this time, (Downtown Streets Team) lost several significant contracts and grants, creating a multi-million-dollar loss in overall funding. When combined with other factors, including rapidly rising operational costs, these losses made it impossible to continue running the organization in a financially sustainable way.”

‘I just don’t think we’re going to see that funding’

Congress in 2023 appropriated $75 million for something called the Continuum of Care Builds grant, which was supposed to help support the construction of new homeless housing. Former President Joe Biden’s administration started the application process for those grants in 2024. When Trump took the helm in 2025, his administration re-started the process with new criteria, making applicants apply again.

Then, at the start of September, the Trump administration made everyone apply a third time — with a very different set of criteria seeming to disqualify organizations that support trans clients, use “harm reduction” strategies to prevent drug overdose deaths or operate in a “sanctuary city.”

Applicants had to attest that they don’t deny the “sex binary in humans or promote the notion that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic.” They had to promise not to distribute drug paraphernalia or allow the use of drugs on their property.

“I do think that we’re doing something right. That all may come to a crashing end.”
— Sharon Rapport, director, California state policy for the Corporation for Supportive Housing

Applicants also had to attest that they operate in a city, county or state that cooperates with federal immigration enforcement. Newsom has resisted Trump’s immigration crackdown at a state level, and recently signed a set of bills intended to further check ICE.

And applicants were required to operate in a city, county or state that prohibits public camping and enforces that rule. That one could be an easier lift: Arrests and citations for camping-related activities have soared in some California cities over the past year, after the U.S. Supreme Court gave cities more leeway to crack down, and Newsom encouraged cities to ban camping. But two recent statewide attempts to ban homeless camps from near schools and other areas fell flat.

The new funding rules were a major blow to Contra Costa County-based Hope Solutions, which was initially selected to receive $5.5 million to build 15 tiny homes for homeless 18-24-year-olds in Pittsburg. After staff spent at least 100 hours completing the project proposal, they learned this month that they’d no longer qualify because of the new criteria. The Pittsburg Police Department says it does not participate in immigration enforcement. In addition, the new program rules specify the money must go to buildings that serve elderly residents — an about-face that takes Hope Solutions’ youth project out of the running.

“It felt like a gut punch,” said CEO Deanne Pearn, “and really disheartening to know that we had spent so much time and asked so much of our county partners and others, and that that time could have been spent elsewhere.”

The camp where a person experiencing homelessness lives on a hillside above U.S. Route 50 in Sacramento, on Oct. 25, 2024. Photo by Fred Greaves for CalMatters

Hope Solutions is still moving forward with the project, which Pearn hopes the organization can fund with its own financial reserves. But that means the nonprofit won’t have that money for its next project.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness recently sued the Trump administration over the new grant conditions, claiming that all projects in California and three dozen other states would be ineligible for funds. Earlier this month, a federal judge sided with the Alliance, and temporarily barred the federal government from distributing those funds.

Now, that $75 million is frozen as the case moves forward.

While the new conditions at issue in the lawsuit apply only to one specific federal homelessness grant, experts worry it’s an ominous sign for California. Service providers expect applications to open this fall for the main source of federal homelessness funding — the Continuum of Care Program — which funneled about $600 million to California counties in 2023.

If that application poses similar requirements, California could be in trouble.

“Personally, I just don’t think we’re going to see that funding,” said Hill, of Union Station Homeless Services in Los Angeles County.

In a separate lawsuit, San Francisco and Santa Clara Counties sued the Trump administration over contracts that prevented recipients of federal homeless funds from using the money to promote “gender ideology,” “elective abortions” and “illegal immigration.” The counties won an early victory last month, when a judge temporarily blocked the administration from imposing those conditions.

Other federal cuts are looming, too. The Emergency Housing Vouchers program, which launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and now helps more than 15,000 Californians pay their rent, is expected to run out of money next year.

That’s not even counting the cuts to housing vouchers and other federal housing and homelessness programs Trump proposed in May, which are still being negotiated in Congress.

California turning a corner on homelessness

California appears to be decreasing its homeless population, according to the Hub for Urban Initiatives, a California organization that helps local communities shape their homelessness policy, apply for grants and survey their homeless populations.

The 29 California communities that counted and reported their homeless populations this year tallied a total of 131,209 people — a 4% decrease from what those same communities reported last year. That’s a significant step for a state where the homeless population has been stubbornly rising for years.

That data comes from the federally mandated homeless point-in-time count, where teams of volunteers count the unhoused people they see on the street on one night in January. The counts are imperfect, as volunteers can overlook people sleeping in out-of-the-way places, and different counties use different methods — while some places count every year, others count every other. Of the 44 “continuums of care” required to count in California (some small, rural communities combine multiple counties into one continuum of care), 14 didn’t count this year.

The federal housing department will release an official total for the state later this year.

Newsom trumpeted the initial decreases, taking credit for pouring money into homeless housing and other services. He’s not wrong.

Contra Costa County, which saw the state’s biggest drop in homelessness this year, attributes its success largely to the recent boost in state funding, said Christy Saxton, director of Health, Housing and Homeless Services for Contra Costa County. Over the past two years, the county increased its homeless shelter and housing capacity by more than a third.

A big piece of that was the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, which Newsom launched in the 2019-20 budget year to fill what until then had been a void of state homelessness funds. For the past few years, that program gave cities and counties $1 billion each year.

Those funds support programs such as Contra Costa County’s Delta Landing temporary housing site in Pittsburg, which opened 172 units in 2021. Until then, that part of the county had about 20 beds for its unhoused residents, Saxton said.

But instead of making that state funding ongoing, Newsom’s administration opted to dole it out in one-time grants each year, leaving cities and counties continually guessing what next year’s budget will bring.

This year, that state program will get no new funding (because of the glacial pace at which the state distributes these funds, cities and counties have yet to receive money from the last round). Next year, the amount is set to shrink to $500 million.

“We are significantly concerned about the cuts that are coming,” Saxton said, “because it has taken an influx of money in order to see those decreases, and we need that to continue on now more than ever.”

In Loving Memory
Gary Lee Gower
March 27, 1946 – September 18, 2025

Gary Lee Gower, 79, of Willow Creek, passed away peacefully at home on September 18, 2025, surrounded by those who loved him most, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Gary was born on March 27, 1946, in the now-lost town of White Bird, Oklahoma, to Fern and Tom Gower. He was the youngest of three brothers — joining William “Billy” and Doyle. When Gary was still a toddler, the Gower family moved west to Willow Creek, California, where they put down roots and welcomed the youngest sibling, Sandra (“Sandy”).

Gary grew up surrounded by extended family and the rugged beauty of the Trinity River region. He followed in the footsteps of many local men and began a lifelong career in the logging industry, working in local mills and as a faller and loader operator for several logging companies.

A true outdoorsman, Gary was most at home under the open sky. He loved hunting, gardening, horseback riding, and camping. He had a deep connection to the land and the traditions of rural life. Always in his cowboy boots and hat, Gary lived the life of a cowboy not just in appearance, but in heart and spirit.

He was also a fierce competitor and a natural at horseshoes. Every Bigfoot Days celebration, you could find him at Veterans Park, competing in the horseshoe tournament — usually with a good chance of winning.

But above all, Gary’s proudest role was being a father and “Papa.” He loved his family with a deep, unwavering devotion, and he never missed a chance to say so. Whether it was building stilts for the neighborhood kids, showing up to every family reunion and poker night, or just saying “I love you” before parting ways, Gary made sure his loved ones felt seen and cherished.

A man of many talents, Gary was also a songwriter and poet. He recorded a 45 with his original songs Gone Fishing and Push Aside My Pride, both of which could once be heard spinning on the jukebox at Buzz’s Bar. His gravelly voice, kind heart, and larger-than-life presence will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Fern and Tom Gower; his brother Billy; and his sister Sandy.

He is survived by his longtime partner, Kathy Woods; his brother Doyle Gower; his children Jodee Gower and Deanna O’Connell (Shawn); grandchildren Brittainy Gower (Emerson), Linzee Gower, Joseph O’Connell (Aliciana), Callie O’Connell (Colten), and Nathaniel O’Connell; and great-granddaughter Aasha Srimanoharan.

A celebration of Gary’s life will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Salyer Wayside Church in Salyer. All who knew and loved Gary are welcome to attend.

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After 25 years of failed enforcement efforts and tens of thousands in unpaid fines, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors today unanimously voted to proceed with abatement action at Yee Haw, a controversial “intentional community” of unpermitted dwellings nestled in the forest near Trinidad. 

Since May of 2001, the county has issued numerous abatement notices and civil penalties to the property’s owner, Charles Garth, who has repeatedly failed to address a long-standing list of public health and safety hazards at the 10-acre site, including unpermitted makeshift homes, accumulated solid waste, junk vehicles and unsanitary sewage disposal. An inspection of the site in October 2024 revealed conditions that pose “urgent risks to the residents, to public health and to the environment.”

In response to concerns about Yee Haw’s 20-plus low-income residents facing homelessness, the Board of Supervisors agreed to give Garth another chance, approving a nine-month timeline to bring the property up to snuff or face code enforcement action. At the beginning of this year, Garth applied to rezone the property as an Alternative Lodge Park, which would allow for a wider range of dwelling types at the site, including mobile homes, tiny houses, RVs, travel trailers and temporary camping facilities.

But at today’s meeting, Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford said Garth had, once again, ran afoul of the board-approved timeline and failed to complete the studies required and paperwork necessary to move ahead with the Alternative Lodge Park.

Ford | Screenshot

“It is my understanding that there has been wet weather testing done for the septic, which was a critical component in the path forward … but it was unfortunately carried out in an area that is either on the neighboring property or within the setback to the neighboring property,” Ford explained. “There’s no valid wet weather testing that’s been completed yet. There have been no actions taken toward completing the application today.”

Another complicating factor: The property is no longer in Garth’s name.

“The property seems to have been transferred by quit claim deed to a non-profit organization,” Ford said. “So it’s unclear who the property owner currently really is.” 

A copy of the deed attached to Tuesday’s agenda names “Evergreen Non-Profits” as the owner of the properties at 450 and 473 Quarry Road. A search of the California Secretary of State’s website indicates that the non-profit was formed in October 2022 by Garth’s son, James A. Garth. 

During public comment, Allen Ng, a “board supervisor” for Evergreen Non-Profits, acknowledged the property’s “difficult history and serious water quality concerns,” but said he was committed to finding a “lasting solution for [the] property and our community.”

Ng | Screenshot

“We’ve done the water testing, we’ve removed metal [and] we’re making a plan on trying to get things in better shape,” Ng said. “Evergreen Non-Profits sees this property not as a liability, but as a project that will reflect our mission and practical skill sets. We are committed to work with transparency with the county and with those involved.”

Several residents of Yee Haw also spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, many of whom defended Garth and criticized county staff for failing to “offer any accommodations” to help him the bureaucratic process. 

“Charles is not made for bureaucracy,” said one speaker, who did not identify himself. “He’s taken everything you’ve told him to heart. More than half the [residents] are gone. There’s only, like, [ten] people there still. … He tried to do the testing, he just did it wrong because he doesn’t know what he’s doing, and there’s no accommodation for him. The man’s trying his best.”

An annoyed Garth spoke as well, calling “this whole thing a mess” and asking for “a new deal.” He accused the Board of Supervisors of failing to amend county code to accommodate his request for an Alternative Lodge Park.

“I needed … your Emergency Shelter Ordinance changed so that my [agriculture zoning designation] would fit, even though originally I was told that [it] was being passed for my property. You excluded intentionally,” Garth claimed. “I did put up a bunch of money, but I never hear about that. Where did that disappear to?”

Garth | Screenshot

“Come on, you guys, I’m doing the right thing,” he continued. “Your director has already stated numerous times that there’s no way to build affordable housing. I can build affordable housing all day long — until the cows come home! I can build it, just let me do it. … Give me a shovel, don’t take it away.”

Following public comment, Ford said staff were not aware that only ten people were living at the property. In such a case, the county may not require the property to be rezoned, but the permitting requirements still stand, he said. 

Ford also disputed several claims made by Garth and some of the other speakers, noting that the board did modify the county’s Tiny House Village and Emergency Housing Village Ordinances to accommodate the proposed Alternative Lodge Park. He added that he has consistently responded to emails from Garth and, until today, was not aware that he required additional accommodations from staff. 

“It is helpful to see Evergreen Non-Profits here and willing to engage in this discussion,” he continued. “I think you know this, but the struggle with this is that [it] has been going on for a long, long time. I’m sympathetic if Mr. Garth has a need for accommodation. I was not aware of that before today. That’s never been mentioned. We do always try to work with people, and we are always willing to go out into the field and identify areas, identify limitations and discuss what can and can’t be done.”

First District Supervisor Rex Bohn began the board’s discussion with a sarcastic comment on the decades-long effort to bring the property into compliance. “Let’s give them another year,” he said. “No, I’m kidding.”

Bohn credited Garth for removing some of the junk vehicles from his property, but accused him of dumping them “in the middle of Loleta, right on the main drive.” 

Bohn | Screenshot

“We need to cut the cord [and] clean it up,” Bohn said. “This has been [going on for] 30 years. … It’s time to do the right thing and clean up the property for our area. And this ‘qualified’ person that did the wet weather testing … it’s a 10-acre parcel. How do you go off-site to do your wet weather testing in an area that isn’t qualified? I am more confused now than ever, but in all reality, we have tried.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a non-profit or not,” he added. “And I apologize, I know a lot of the non-profits, [but] I’ve never heard of Evergreen.”

The rest of the board seemed unfamiliar with Evergreen Non-Profits and confused by the recent property acquisition. Third District Supervisor Mike Wilson said he wasn’t sure how the board should proceed with a new owner involved.

“I don’t understand how obligated … we are to move forward with a new owner under the constructs and discussions we’ve had before, because we didn’t make those agreements with the new owner,” Wilson said. Under the new ownership, Evergreen Non-Profits would be responsible for the on-site violations and Garth would remain responsible for the fines owed to the county, which are estimated at $100,000.

Wilson asked the property owner when the Evergreen Non-Profits was formed and what its mission is. Ng said it was formed in 2002, though state records indicate it was established in 2022. 

“We created this non-profit, in lieu [sic] of the wildfires in the past, trying to come up with a solution on using land mainly to help in the nurseries for trees burned by the wildfires,” Ng said. “We’re trying to have land be used to grow saplings for planters to replant old burns.”

“Cool,” Wilson responded. “What does this property have to do with your mission?”

“Our mission is to find land that has redwood trees that we can … gather their seedlings and create kind of a workforce development. We can have workers learn tree climbing to go into the trees to gather the redwood seeds. We went to CalFire, and we took a course on seed collection, and we found out there was a market in seed collection.”

Wilson acknowledged that seed collection and regrowing the forest “is a wonderful thing,” but said he was confused as to how the non-profit’s mission tied into Yee Haw’s goals of providing affordable housing for its residents. Ng envisioned the property as a “training facility” where staff working on seed collection would work and live.

Still confused, Wilson asked Ford how the proposed training facility would fit in with the current land use designation and how the board should proceed. 

“Well, it is confusing because this is all new information,” Ford said, appearing annoyed. “This is all completely new information in a completely different direction. It’s not an entirely bad direction, but it is a huge change.”

Turning back to Ng, Wilson asked if the non-profit owned any properties or assets. Ng said he had applied for a $15 million CalFire grant before the state shifted priorities away from nursery development and toward transportation development. “I’ve been finding sponsors and people in the community, and I’ve been just gathering more resources,” he said. “I come to you today to ask for your resources and your advice.”

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone expressed frustration over the whole ordeal, noting that he wished Garth would just “pay the fines and the fees like he said he would.” He praised the new property owner for stepping in to clean up the property but asked why it couldn’t have happened sooner. 

Madrone | Screenshot

“It’s always bothersome to me that at the 12th hour, when these actions finally happen after years — if not a decade or more of work — suddenly everybody’s up in arms, saying, ‘The county’s being brutal, the county’s doing this, the county’s doing that,’ and then everybody wants to jump in and help,” Madrone said. “Well, where were they earlier in the process when that could have actually made a difference? … If everybody cares so much about all this, why not step up and deal with all that?”

Madrone noted that “many residents” at Yee Haw did step up and tried to help Garth clean up the property, but said it was still up to the owner to address the code enforcement violations. 

“Regardless of the code issues, it is still a whole lot safer place to be than out on the streets. I don’t know anybody that would disagree with that, but it doesn’t mean we can look the other way,” he continued. “When there’s complaints and there’s issues with compliance and codes, if we look the other way then we can become liable, which is a really irresponsible use of our taxpayer dollars that fund us.”

Seeking additional clarity on the organization of Evergreen Non-Profits, Madrone asked Ng what his position was on the board. Ng said he is the financial officer and Garth’s son, the person listed as the creator of the non-profit, is the CEO. 

“It’s quite a tangled web, frankly speaking,” Madrone said, to which Ng interjected, “It’s not tangled.”

After a bit of additional discussion, Bohn made a motion to give the property owner 14 days to clean up the property before sending code enforcement to abate the site. However, Ford said a detailed motion wasn’t necessary, given staff’s recommendation listed in the staff report. 

Before voting on the item, Board Chair Michelle Bushnell said, “I’m in agreement with my colleagues. I don’t think kicking this down the road is going to get us what we need.”

Bohn made a motion to receive and file the report. The action was seconded by Board Chair Michelle Bushnell and passed in a 5-0 vote.

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PREVIOUSLY: 

• TODAY in SUPES: County Looks to Rein in Yee Haw, the Trinidad-Area Commune With a Long History of Health and Safety Code Violations
• County Supes Approve Civil Penalties on ‘Yee Haw’ Communal Living Property Near Trinidad
• (VIDEO) Humboldt County Officials Serve Inspection Warrant at Yee Haw Communal Living Property Near Trinidad
• TODAY in SUPES: Inspection Reveals ‘Urgent Safety Risks’ From Exposed Sewage at Yee Haw Communal Living Property
• TODAY in SUPES: With Some Apprehension, Board OKs Potential Path to Legitimacy for Yee Haw Communal Living Property

Press release from the Eureka Police Department:

On March 24th, 2025, at 2314 hours, officers were dispatched to the 2600 block of Garland Street for a shooting that had just occurred. Upon arrival, officers determined that a male victim had been shot, and the suspects had fled the scene. The victim was transported to the hospital and treated for his injuries. An EPD detective responded and began investigating the incident.

During the ensuing investigation, detectives identified David Anthony Olivarez (05/07/1990) of Eureka as being involved in the shooting. On 09/17/2025, a warrant was obtained for Olivarez’s arrest.

On 09/19/2025 at about 1055 hours, Olivarez was observed driving in the area of Buhne and “K” Streets. EPD patrol officers conducted a traffic stop on Olivarez’s vehicle and took him into custody without incident. Olivarez was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of:

• PC 664/187 Attempted Murder
• PC 186.22 Participation in a criminal street gang
• PC 246 Shooting from a vehicle
• PC 182 Criminal conspiracy
• PC 182.5 Criminal conspiracy while participating in a street gang

This is an on-going investigation. If you have any information in regard to this incident, please contact EPD’s Criminal Investigations Unit (CIU) Detective Nunez at 707-441-4300.

And did we mention it’s a cutie? Learn all about the Marmosa chachapoya in the Cal Poly Humboldt release below:

During an expedition to the Peruvian Andes in 2018, a team of researchers exploring Abiseo River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, made an extraordinary discovery: a previously undocumented species of marsupial.

At the time, lead researcher Cal Poly Humboldt Biological Sciences professor, Silvia Pavan, was searching for a mysterious (still unnamed) species of squirrel. What she found instead was a new species of opossum, never before described by science. Their discovery and research was published in June in American Museum Novitates.

Marmosa chachapoya

The small mammal, a species of mouse opossum found near an archaeological site on the eastern side of the Andes, has reddish-brown fur, distinct mask-like markings on its face, and a total length—including body and tail—of up to 10 inches (the body alone measures only about 4 inches). It was found at an altitude where other species of this genus are not typically found.

“I realized immediately that this was something unusual,” Pavan says. 
“We know very little about this species, including its natural history and distribution, and only one specimen has been collected so far,” she said.

To confirm it was a new species, the team studied its DNA and physical features, focusing on distinctive traits such as the elongated snout and delicate body. That process takes several years. Scientists had to be absolutely certain it hadn’t already been documented, carefully comparing the specimen with others in museum collections—sometimes across different countries and continents—and running extensive lab tests, including DNA analysis. Only after all this work, they confidently confirmed that this was a species new to science.
Pavan and her team named the opossum Marmosa chachapoya, in honor of the Chachapoya culture, which inhabited the region prior to Inca and European colonization.

The Marmosa chachapoya isn’t the only new species discovered during the expedition. The team collected several others—including a new semi-aquatic rodent—which have yet to be formally described, Pavan said.

These discoveries are particularly significant for biodiversity and conservation efforts, Pavan explains, underscoring how much remains unknown about the biodiversity of this region. The findings also suggest that it’s home to more species yet unknown to science, many of which could be vulnerable without protection, Pavan explains. 

“It’s a reminder of the critical importance of scientific exploration and conservation in areas like Río Abiseo,” Pavan says. 

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PREVIOUSLY:

• Someone Painted an Image of a Hanged Man Holding a Flower All Over Eureka and Arcata; Police Investigating
• POLL! What is the Meaning of This ‘Art’?

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Press release for Humboldt Showing Up for Racial Justice and the Ink People:

Humboldt Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), the Ink People Center for Arts and Culture, Black community leaders, and elected officials condemn a series of stenciled images discovered on September 18 and 19 in Eureka and Arcata depicting a hanged person, some accompanied by the words “Don’t be the next.” These images — discovered by Black community members on September 19, after a week of escalating racialized violence and speech across the nation, including the alleged lynching of a Black student in Mississippi — evoke the history of lynching in the United States and are widely understood as messages meant to intimidate and instill fear in Black communities.

Why this matters

A known symbol of racial intimidation. Noose/lynching imagery in public spaces is historically tied to racial terror and modern hate intimidation. Cultural and civil-rights institutions have repeatedly documented its use as a threat (Smithsonian Magazine).

The current climate. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that anti-Black incidents constitute a majority of race-based hate-crime incidents nationally (2023), and agencies recorded 11,679 incidents in 2024 (Department of Justice).

California context. California’s Attorney General reports anti-Black bias remains the most prevalent race-based motivation in the state’s hate-crime data (California Department of Justice).

Applicable law. California Penal Code §11411 prohibits displaying terrorizing symbols (including nooses) at homes, workplaces, schools, or public places with the purpose — or reckless disregard — of terrorizing others.

In this period of growing unrest, these images have caused concern in the local community, striking fear and grief among those whose ancestors and families have experienced the long history of racial violence and terrorism in this country. Nearly 5,000 lynchings occurred in the U.S. from 1882 to 1968, though the actual number is likely higher due to underreporting. Lynching was also a tool of white supremacy used against Latinos and Indigenous peoples in California. While lynchings aren’t as frequent today, lynchings and references to lynchings continue to be tools of white supremacy and racial terrorism inflicted on Black communities.

Local Black community members have expressed the terror and distress they have felt since seeing these images in our communities’ business and arts districts — including on the building of at least one Black-owned business. One local Black community member, who wished to remain anonymous for their own safety, shared:

“It’s the reality — the harm was done, the fear was stoked in people. Sometimes carelessness causes real palpable harm. And I understand why people don’t necessarily believe what’s being said. It’s hard to imagine anyone claiming to stand for the message that is supposedly being intended would be so careless as to use imagery synonymous with the murder of Black folks while we are actively being lynched all over the country in the last week. Who in their right mind would even do that? How much privilege do you have to carry to not understand how that image will inevitably be interpreted?”

The pairing of lynching imagery with “Don’t be the next” is reasonably perceived by Black residents as a direct threat. In a national environment where documented hate-crime levels remain high, incidents like these heighten fear, retraumatize communities, and chill participation in public life. As community members and leaders here in Humboldt County — where extreme episodes of racial terror and violence have taken place — we collectively condemn the use of racist imagery, regardless of the intent of the message behind it. Using an image of a hanged person at any time causes harm and instills fear in local Black community members, and the use of it in the current political climate is ignorant and indifferent to the very real harms that Black people in particular continue to experience with racist violence. These recent acts demonstrate that, at best, we have a lot of learning and work ahead of us to fight ignorance and racial violence.

Against this backdrop, public displays invoking lynching — paired with the phrase “Don’t be the next” — do not read as “mere graffiti.” They echo historic mechanisms of racial terror, and for many Black residents and other communities of color, they function as threats aimed at silencing, isolating, and driving people out of public space.

This is a moment of community action and learning

The coalition calls for continued investment in:

• Education & prevention on the history and present realities of racialized violence.
• Visible solidarity. Public agencies, schools, businesses, and civic groups should affirm that Black residents belong and are safe here — and back those words with action.
• Reporting & support. If you see similar graffiti or have information, report it immediately.

Take action: We have a collective community responsibility to one another to resist racial ignorance and violence and take action in support of the safety and belonging of our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color friends, families, neighbors, and colleagues. We invite you to take tangible action today. Some ways you can do this are:

• Meet your neighbors and look out for each other.
• Learn more about the history of lynching in this country and state (link).
• Join and support the Eureka chapter of the NAACP (link).
• Learn more and take action on issues of racial and economic justice with Humboldt SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) (link)

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Sept. 21, 2025, at approximately 10:03 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were patrolling eastbound on Shelter Cove Road near Redwood Road when they observed a white Jeep Cherokee traveling westbound at a high rate of speed.

Deputies attempted to catch up to the vehicle to initiate a traffic stop, but lost sight of it due to its speed. Shortly after, the same Jeep was seen traveling at an excessive speed southbound on Lower Pacific Road. The driver made a rapid turn onto Machi Road and into the parking lot of Mario’s Marina Bar, narrowly missing pedestrians and parked vehicles.

Once deputies caught up, they activated their emergency lights and siren. However, the driver failed to yield and fled the area at a high rate of speed. Due to the danger posed to public safety, deputies initiated a pursuit eastbound on Shelter Cove Road.

The Jeep came to a temporary stop near Toth Road. Deputies issued multiple commands to the driver, later identified as Matthew James Hayes, 39, of Shelter Cove. While attempting to detain him, Hayes suddenly accelerated, striking the front passenger door of the patrol vehicle. As the Jeep fled, both deputies were struck by the Jeep, sustaining minor arm injuries.

The pursuit continued due to the immediate threat to public safety. Approximately three miles outside of Redway, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) took over the pursuit, which continued southbound on Highway 101 to the Willits area. CHP successfully disabled the vehicle using a spike strip. Hayes was taken into custody without further incident and booked into the Mendocino County Jail.

One deputy was treated at a local hospital and released. Both sustained minor injuries.

An arrest warrant has been submitted for Hayes in Humboldt County on the following charges:

• VC 2800.2(a) – Felony Evading
• PC 245(a)(1) – Assault with a Deadly Weapon
• PC 69(a) – Obstructing/Resisting an Executive Officer

The case has been forwarded to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.

Anyone with information related to this case or other associated criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Crime Tip Line at (707) 268-2539.