SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A scathing audit earlier this year showed California spent billions on homelessness programs without proving results. It sparked a bipartisan conversation that caused lawmakers to pass AB 2903, but Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the bill.
Over the past several months, Gov. Newsom has been calling for action and accountability when it comes to spending to solve the homelessness crisis.
"We're strengthening and we're tightening up our efforts around the accountability frame," said Gov. Newsom on Sept. 19.
All of this follows an audit showing California spent nearly $24 billion on homelessness and housing over the last five years but essentially failed to track any progress. The state's auditor said the state must do more to assess the cost-effectiveness of its programs.
"A lot of the questions that us as lawmakers had were: we're spending all this money, we're obviously not getting the desired results, what needs to change in California?" said Asm. Josh Hoover (R-Folsom).
In response, Asm. Hoover authored AB 2903, a bill that received bipartisan support.
"Track every dollar that we're spending on homelessness programs in California and measuring the outcomes of those programs to figure out what is working in our state and what is not working," Hoover said.
The bill was vetoed by Governor Newsom. In his veto message, Newsom said he couldn't sign the bill because similar legislation already exists. He pointed to AB 166 that requires reporting for two of the state's largest homeless programs. However, Hoover said there's more programs to be monitored.
"We have over 15 government-funded programs in the state of California that are spending these billions of dollars," Hoover said.
The governor's veto message also adds AB 799 addresses the same objective's as Hoover's bill but is more cost effective.
"I think I actually voted for that bill. I do support that bill, but at the end of the day, we need to do more," Hoover said.
Hoover said he's now looking into amending the bipartisan bill in hopes it will make it to the governor's desk again.
ABC10 reached out to the Governor's Office for additional comment on why he would veto this bill and if his veto had anything to do with the fact that Asm. Hoover is a Republican. His office's spokesperson responded by saying, "the veto message speaks for itself."
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