California Gov. Newsom halts $1 billion spending plan aimed at homelessness

California Governor Gavin Newson has ordered a temporary halt to $1 billion in spending for the homeless population. Newsom said this is to ensure states “reset” their approach and make better use of the funds available.

California’s 58 counties, 13 largest cities and groups of public and private service providers were anticipating funds from the states to help combat homelessness. The caveat for this funding was that they had to show plans which demonstrated how they would go about reducing it.

On Thursday, after reviewing the plans, Newsom said that they were “simply unacceptable.” Newsom said the plans submitted would reduce homelessness across the state by 2% over a 4-year period. Newsom said that some of the plans would even result in a double-digit increase.

“At this pace, it would take decades to significantly curb homelessness in California — this approach is simply unacceptable,” Newsom said in a news release. “Everyone has to do better — cities, counties, and the state included. We are all in this together.”

County and city leaders spoke out against Newsom’s decision, with Carolyn Coleman accusing him of “play[ing] politics when people’s lives are at stake.”

“Failing to release state funding will not put roofs over the heads of Californians or deliver desperately needed supportive services,” said Coleman, the executive director of the League of California Cities.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said that while he did understand Newsom’s thinking, Sacramento urgently needs more than 1,110 shelter beds.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who leads a coalition of mayors of the state’s 13 largest cities, said she agreed with Newsom’s decision.

In the state Legislature, Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk hit out at Newsom for taking too long to act, while Democratic Assemblymember Jim Wood said he “wholeheartedly applaud(s)” the move.

“The money is not going to go very far and you’re not going to make much of a dent unless you figure out a different way to do things,” Wood said.