CALIFORNIA, USA — A group of mayors representing the biggest cities in California joined forces to ask for $1 billion for homelessness. The money is normally in the state budget, but it didn’t make the cut for current proposal.
The main reason the mayors want the money is housing and shelter beds for those experiencing homelessness.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said cities were set up to handle basic infrastructure, not humanitarian crisis, and without this money, progress will be lost.
This coalition of mayors is currently led by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. He shared the data of the what cities have been able to accomplish with five rounds of funding so far.
“15,722 new emergency shelter beds, and 149,851 people served,” said Gloria.
Cities have been receiving this money since 2018, called Homelessness Housing Assistance and Prevention (HHAP). What would be the 6th round of funding is not in the proposed budget.
“We are here to urge state leaders to fully found HHAP round six at no less than $1 billion and to make this funding permanent,” said Gloria.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg was the head of the big city mayors when they made an unprecedented ask for homeless funding seven years ago. Now, mayors are asking for more funding while the state faces a budget deficit.
“The last thing that the state ought to do, even during difficult budget times, is go backwards on the most pressing issue and crisis in the state of California,” said Steinberg.
Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln echoed Steinberg, saying it’s difficult to move forward with housing and shelter projects not knowing if the funding will be there.
“Through the HHAP funding, we’ve been able to build 10 emergency shelters, nine permanent housing projects and four affordable housing (projects). We’ve been able to expand our bed count by 500,” said Lincoln.
The mayors are making the request after the passing of Proposition 1, which put restrictions on how local governments spend money towards homelessness. It also took some funding from local governments and gave it to the state.
Mayor Steinberg said he’s glad it passed.
“Keeping the HHAP funding, adding it to Prop 1, is essential to meet the needs of people in our city to make this problem better,” said Steinberg.
The mayors said if they don’t get the HHAP funding, there is not enough money in the local budget to cover the shortfall. Some of this funding would also go to youth services and retail theft programs.
ABC10 asked about accountability, that mayors are asking for more money after a recent state audit revealed cities struggle to track homelessness funding and progress. The mayors said they are committed to accountability and are willing to provide whatever data is needed, which included a handout of information on current HHAP progress and funding break downs.
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