I didn't read the article either, but it sounds like they are outside of law enforcement reach, by choice. Lancaster is in the desert, so there's no change in environment, and they most likely had their own stuff anyway. Vice did a video, which sounds like the inspiration for this clickbait article.

eta- yep that's pretty much it. Sounds like the biggest issue for the county or whatever, is that the homeless still exist, in spite of the efforts made to make live as miserable as possible for them.