SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom is giving $12 billion to tackle homelessness as part of the Governor’s “California Comeback Plan.”
Newsom spoke at a press event in Sonoma County on Monday, touting the billions of dollars of investments made to combat the state’s homeless crisis.
According to a press release from Newsom’s office, the money is aimed at projects like affordable housing construction, as well as plans to “demand greater accountability” and “urgency from local governments.”
The focus of the two-year project will be on behavioral health housing and solutions to tent encampments.
According to a press release, $5.8 billion will be used to create over 42,000 homeless housing units, including housing for those with mental health issues.
“I don’t think homelessness can be solved – I know homelessness can be solved,” Governor Newsom said in the press release. “We are going all-in with innovative solutions that we know work – with a focus on creating housing to support people with severe mental health challenges, and with more money than ever to move people out of encampments and into safer situations. With record investments tied to strong accountability and efficiency measures, California will continue to build on the groundbreaking success of Homekey, changing the lives of tens of thousands of Californians for the better and supporting communities across the state.”
Watch the full live stream of the announcement embedded below:
