An additional $38 million for a total of $750 million to move individuals living in encampments off the streets and into housing – including more than $17 million for San Francisco over the last 10 months
The courts continue to hamstring efforts by the state and local governments to address homelessness
SACRAMENTO – As the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals hears San Francisco’s appeal of a court order constraining the city from addressing homelessness, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced an additional $38 million to help local communities clean up encampments throughout the state. In total, under the Newsom Administration, the state is providing $750 million to local governments to connect individuals living in encampments to housing and services.
What Governor Newsom Said: “In California, we are cutting red tape and making unprecedented investments to address homelessness, but with each hard-fought step forward, the courts are creating costly delays that slow progress. I urge the courts to empower local communities to address street encampments quickly and comprehensively.”
Throughout the country, decisions handed down by judges from Phoenix to San Francisco are paralyzing local government’s ability to address homelessness. These decisions prohibit cities from enforcing reasonable limits on sleeping and camping on public sidewalks, and allow unsafe encampments with makeshift, dangerous housing structures to grow unchecked – running counter to common-sense approaches to address the challenges on our city streets.
The $38 million announced today is provided through the Encampment Resolution Fund which was designed by the Administration and the Legislature to provide communities of all sizes with the support to move people living in encampments into housing. As the state continues to invest dollars and resources to assist individuals living on the streets, it is critical that the judicial branch not constrain these efforts.
This most recent round of funding will support seven communities statewide, connecting approximately 1,250 people experiencing homelessness in encampments to needed services and housing. Six of the seven projects will resolve encampments along state rights-of-way.
The following communities are receiving the funding announced today:
- San Joaquin County will receive $11.1 million.
- The Bakersfield/Kern County Continuum of Care will receive $7 million.
- The City of Thousand Oaks will receive $5.8 million.
- The City of Long Beach will receive $5.3 million.
- The City of Visalia will receive $3.6 million.
- Sonoma County will receive $2.8 million.
- The Pasadena Continuum of Care will receive $2.1 million.
San Francisco previously received two Encampment Resolution awards totaling over $17 million. Collectively, the Newsom Administration has committed more than $30 billion to address housing and homelessness since taking office, with $3.5 billion for homelessness in the 2023 state budget alone.
Click here to learn more details about this announcement.
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