LAO Report Criticizes Newsom’s Homeless Plan
Sacramento, CA — California Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget calls for putting $750-million into a fund for homeless related programs, but a report from the state’s non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office questions whether it will have a meaningful impact.
The report issued to the legislature yesterday says the proposal “falls short of articulating a clear strategy for curbing homelessness in California.”
The report also criticizes how money will be dispersed to regional administrators chosen by the state’s Department of Social Services instead of going directly to local governments. It argues that cities and counties are more knowledgeable about the specific issues facing their areas and ways to best spend the money.
The Governor’s Office has countered that the proposed plan creates additional accountability and is a new approach from the status quo of the past.
State statistics show that homelessness increased by 16-percent last year in California with the population now estimated to be 151,000.
