Housing Advocates Urge California Officials to Maintain Funding for Homelessness Solutions
In response, Governor Gavin Newsom stated that he was hoping to discuss the budget “soon.”
Sacramento, California: People have to make expenditure reductions when money is tight. California is in the same boat. As the governor and legislators try to decide what cuts to make, some Californians are hoping that money for homelessness will stay in place.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness Alex Visotzky stated, “We can find solutions to homelessness not only when we have a surplus or only when we feel like it.”
A coalition of legislators and supporters urged the legislature to keep up its efforts in identifying and financing a way to end the homelessness problem. This group feels that further cuts are not an option because the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) estimates the state deficit at $58 billion this year.
“If the legislature is going to cut $1.2 billion, what are you saying to the people that voted you in?” responded Ronnie Williams.
This occurs after the approval of Proposition 1 by voters, which permits the state to issue bonds worth around $6.4 billion, of which $2 billion is intended for housing development. The remaining funds will be used to build new addiction and mental health treatment centers. Details on the remaining expenses will be determined at a later time.
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Advocate Zella Knight stated that “continuous funding at scale, not at the bottom, is the key to reversing the cycle of homelessness in California.”
Governor Gavin Newsom talked about Proposition 1 and the state budget at Tuesday’s snow survey with the Department of Water Resources (DWR).
“We’ll have a lot to say on that and the budget as we get closer to the State of the State,” he continued.
Governor Newsom did not have much to say, and it is still unclear when the State of the State will take place and what will be removed from the budget.
“Their house, their rules, and I’ll abide by them,” responded the man.