Tents pop up in front of Berkeley City Hall in protest of encampment sweeps

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- Governor Gavin Newsom is promising a big announcement on homelessness. The governor's office says the focus is new funding to tackle encampments.

It comes as people in Berkeley - those who have homes and those who don't - are forming an encampment outside City Hall to protest expanded sweeps.

"So, this is my tent this is where I'll be sleeping tonight," said Andrea Henson, referring to a tent in front of Berkeley City Hall. She's the executive director and legal counsel for Where Do We Go. The nonprofit's set up an encampment in protest of Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order.

"Our governor has told all state agencies to sweep camps across the state as well as local governments to follow, and there's nowhere for them to go so, we're sticking for them and talking about what the issues are," said Henson.

MORE: Several Bay Area cities, counties receiving state money to combat homelessness

The tents started going up in late September and have since been growing in number.

"There's a lot of unhoused people here in downtown Berkeley and they're looking for a place that was safe to sleep and we told them that they would be safe with us, said Ian Cordova Morales, president of Where Do We Go.

"I'm glad there's a place like this where people can feel safe with each other," said Gordon Gilmore, who is unhoused and co-founder of the Berkeley Homeless. "Not have to fear of having their possessions taking away and needing to relocate hanging over their head. "

The group is providing everything from food to connecting services.

MORE: Berkeley city council votes to crack down on homeless encampment sweeps

"There's so many people all night long," explained Henson. "What we've found here, is there's so many people coming that are hungry, so we're giving them tents, we're giving food, we're giving them sleeping bags and then they feel safe here with us."

And, they say they're ready to weather the heat and any attempts by the law enforcement to remove them.

"The community's been good to us in bringing water and food, ice," said Cordova Morales. "If they come sweep this we'll set up another, there's nowhere for people to go, they can sweep this we'll be across the street, they sweep across the street, we'll be back here."

We did reach out to the mayor for comment and the protest and sweeps and are waiting to hear back.