Mayors from California’s 11 largest cities lobbied at the state Capitol in Sacramento this week for AB 3171, which would allocate $1.5 billion from the state budget to cities addressing the growing homelessness crisis in the state.
“Cities are on the front lines in the fight against homelessness, and Los Angeles is already investing billions of dollars to get people off the streets,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. “But we can’t do it alone — AB 3171 would give us the state funding we need to get all of our unsheltered into homes as soon as possible.”
California’s homeless population now stands at 134,278, according to 2017 statewide counts — an increase of 16 percent from 2015. Cities across the state are struggling to provide shelter and services with money from their own general funds and voter-approved ballot measures, but those aren’t enough.
AB 3171 proposes long-term solutions to homelessness, such as permanent housing and rental assistance. It would also immediately provide for emergency measures, including triage shelters and navigation centers with wrap-around services. By leveraging local matching funds, the legislation would result in $3 billion in funding statewide.
AB 3171 is scheduled for its first legislative hearing before the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on April 25. The bill is authored by Assemblyman Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) and State Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) is the principal co-author.
“Homelessness in California has reached crisis levels,” said Ting. “A partnership with cities is critical if we are going to get people into supportive and transitional housing as quickly as possible.”
Below, California mayors speak about the impact of homelessness on their communities, and the need for this legislation:
“Tens of thousands of people are living on the streets in California cities, creating a humanitarian and public safety crisis that shocks the conscience and diminishes cities’ economic vitality,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, chairman of the Big 11 group. “While the state has taken some steps to help, cities still lack the resources to make a demonstrable difference.”
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer added, “Homelessness has reached crisis levels across California so it only makes sense for the Capitol to team up with cities to fix it. This bill will help cities that are investing in effective homeless solutions that get people back on their feet and increase access to housing. Solving this problem means we have to do things differently, so I’m proud to join this bipartisan coalition to call for change.”
“Homelessness, poverty and addiction are issues that do not stop at city limits or town boundaries,” said San Francisco Mayor Mark Farrell. “These are difficulties facing municipalities across California—we need funding from the state to help complement the initiatives we are leading at the local level. Homelessness is the great challenge of our time, but by working together, we can make real, lasting change for Californians everywhere.”
Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait said that nearly 1,000 people have been able to transition from homelessness through “outreach, partnership and a pathway to stable housing.”
“But there is more to be done and more we can do. For California, investing in cities is one of the most direct, impactful ways to change homelessness in our state,” he said.
