Homelessness

Democratic voters in California cities are pushing mayors and city councils to clear homeless camps. Leaders are responding with new ordinances, from Sacramento to San Diego.

For the first time, a new state report offers a bird-eye view of how much the state has spent to halt homelessness — nearly $10 billion over three years. Of the half-million Californians who made use of those services, more than 40% ended up housed. Which also means the majority did not, or the state lost track of their whereabouts.

The governor threw communities into disarray two weeks ago by withholding $1 billion in homelessness funding for plans he saw as unambitious. But local officials said the assignment itself discouraged ambition. Now Newsom is yielding.

Volunteers fanned out across the state for the first statewide count of California’s homeless population since 2020. The number is expected to be higher, raising more questions about the impact of the state's increased spending.

In the new episode of "Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast," CalMatters' Manuela Tobias and the Los Angeles Times' Liam Dillon interview former homeless veteran Fernando Maya and Jackie Botts, who told his story for CalMatters.

Burnout and COVID is causing California homeless service workers to leave. Low pay makes it difficult to recruit new ones. But they're essential to the state's plans to reduce homelessness.

In his budget proposal, Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted his support for cities to remove homeless encampments but conceded it's only a bridge to permanent housing.

In the new episode of "Gimme Shelter: The California Housing Crisis Podcast." CalMatters' Manuela Tobias and the Los Angeles Times' Liam Dillon interview Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on his "right to housing" proposal to reduce homelessness.

Gov. Newsom says the situation with homeless encampments is unacceptable. The state housing agency is funding more services, while Caltrans is clearing some camps. But advocates are wary.

Challengers in the California recall see Newsom as vulnerable on the issue, but some experts and advocates say their ideas could worsen life for homeless people.