Newsom Unfreezes $1-Billion In Homelessness Funding
Sacramento, CA — Governor Gavin Newsom is ending a standoff with cities and counties across the state in relation to funding for homelessness initiatives.
A couple of weeks ago the Governor stated that local governments needed to be more aggressive in coming up with solutions to better clean up encampments and shelter those unhoused. The earlier plans submitted by various cities and counties for the $1-billion in funding would only reduce homelessness by 2-percent, according to the Governor.
Newsom held a virtual meeting with about 100 mayors and other officials on Friday. After the two-hour session, he told reporters that he was pleased to hear “their recognition that we need to get to another level,” and will release the funding.
City and county leaders across the state have voiced criticism of the Governor’s decision to freeze funds and have requested more state direction. Following the meeting, Graham Knaus, Executive Director of the California State Association of Counties, stated, “Without a clear comprehensive strategy and sustainable funding, we’ll keep spinning in circles, ending right back where we started or worse. We can’t fix an ongoing crisis with on-time commitments. Progress requires clear state, county and city roles aligned with sustainable, equitable funding. We need to get out of our own way and work together.”
