As Gov. Gavin Newsom pressures local governments to regulate homeless encampments, many cities and counties fall short of fulfilling requirements for $500 million in new state aid.
Newsom’s office expects to deploy the team within the next month to San Jose and California’s other nine largest cities, to tackle encampments on state property along highway medians and under overpasses.
A critical new federal audit released this week calls out California for doing too little to prevent fraudulent spending of nearly $320 million in homelessness funds.
One year after Gov. Newsom promised 1,200 tiny homes to shelter residents in four cities, including San Jose, only 150 have been purchased and none are in place.
Two new bills in the Legislature would allow state funding to support sober housing for homeless residents, a significant departure from California’s current housing-first law.
The Supreme Court case centers on the question of whether cities can fine or arrest people for camping in public spaces. The ruling will have nationwide implications for how local leaders manage homeless encampments.
Californians in March will vote on a $6.4 billion bond to build thousands of housing units for people with serious mental health conditions. A 2018 ballot measure made similar promises, but Santa Clara County and the rest of the state are falling short.