United States

Governor Newsom’s ‘state of the state’ promises a ‘California dream’

(The Center Square) – In his State of the State letter to members of the California Legislature, Gavin Newsom reminded, “As we rededicate ourselves to the work we started together four years ago, I offer you a renewed commitment of partnership and cooperation – as we strive to make the California Dream achievable for everyone who calls our great state home.”

In lieu of the usual live speech before lawmakers, the California Governor went on a four day tour of the state and instead sent a letter to the legislature on the health of California.

Governor Gavin Newsom wrapped up his tour on March 19, at a hospital in San Diego where he asked Californians and legislators to support a 2024 ballot initiative that would allocate billions of dollars to address mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness.

“This is the next step in our transformation of how California addresses mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness – creating thousands of new beds, building more housing, expanding services, and more. People who are struggling with these issues, especially those who are on the streets or in other vulnerable conditions, will have more resources to get the help they need.”

The Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63) which raised an estimated $3.3 billion last year, would allocate $1 billion towards the operation of mental health campuses. Currently the act only directs funding to counties to support mental health services. The plan would also allow funding from the Mental Health Services Act to be used in the treatment of substance abuse. Further funding, estimated between $3 billion and $5 billion for construction of the campuses, would be realized through a bond measure on the 2024 ballot.

This is in addition to the $1 billion fund for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Round 4 state grant funding for community efforts to alleviate homelessness and the construction of 1,200 tiny homes by the National Guard in Los Angeles, San Diego County, San Jose and Sacramento counties.

“This is just another band-aid on a crisis that is out of control in California,” Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones said. “We know that throwing money at this problem doesn’t work.

California has already spent $20 billion over the last five years on homelessness and the crisis has only gotten worse with more than 172,000 people living on the streets in this state. While I appreciate the governor’s creativity to construct 1,200 tiny homes, that is a drop in the bucket.”

Last year local governments revealed plans that collectively reduced unsheltered homelessness by 2%. Newsom halted funding until a revision of plans for greater relief was presented. The new plans are expected to reduce homelessness by 15% by 2025.

“I don’t have the greatest confidence that California will achieve a 15 percent reduction in homelessness by 2025, which by the way, would still leave almost 150,000 people living on the street,” Jones stated, recalling past predictions by the governor. “Remember when the governor promised to ‘end chronic homelessness’ in San Francisco within 10 years? Or when he said California must ‘confront’ this urgent issue in 2019?”

This week Senator Dave Cortese revealed at an audit request at a regular session of the Joint Legislative Audit, that for every one person that was housed in his district, two more became homeless, demonstrating the revolving door that the homeless situation had become in San Jose.

At that session the cost of land in California and the earning power of a number of residents were given as possible contributing factors to the ongoing homeless situation.

“We need to build the housing and care facilities required throughout our state to treat people who are struggling with mental illness and offer specific help to our veterans who are more likely to experience homelessness,” Newsom said in his State of the State letter.

California has spent over $20 billion dollars over the last five years to address homelessness, yet 6 out of 10 of its cities rank among the top ten for the largest homeless populations.

“California accounted for half of all unsheltered people in the country (115,491 people). California also had the highest rate of homelessness, with 44 people experiencing homelessness out of every 10,000 people in the state,” a point-in-time studyreported.

“While the governor would rather skip facing legislators over his failures and put on a curated show for the media, Californians are looking for real answers,” said Assembly Republican Leader Gallagher.

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