Column: Newsom rejects every local homeless plan in state, demanding more ambition to address homeless crisis
Budget and housing advocates in Sacramento have expressed concerns about Newsom’s proposal for Sacramento, which would create one of the more ambitious homelessness plans in the state.
Newsom has been criticized for making an announcement about homelessness on the steps of the Capitol, instead of holding a planning session or public hearing. The news conference, which came without notice to the public, led to an outcry that the state is losing money because of the homelessness crisis.
But Sacramento City Atty. Dan Hahn, in an email to The Sacramento Bee, said the city is ready for the new plan. “We have had long conversations with the City Planning Commission, housing advocates, and the business community,” he said. “We wanted to be transparent about the proposed proposal but thought it would be best if we announced it in a more controlled and private fashion.”
Hahn said the city has already created a homelessness plan and presented it to the City Council. He said the plan is “well aligned with state initiatives on housing and homelessness.”
“The proposed plan is not just a ‘one-stop shop’,” Hahn said. “But rather, an ambitious program that will address the needs of all residents living or working in Capitol Corridor, in order to provide comprehensive, sustainable solutions for the area’s homeless.”
He said the city is committed to ensuring that the proposal is implemented in line with state laws.
“It is important that we have a robust, unified and comprehensive homeless plans in place for California,” he said. “Each proposed plan is reviewed by the Department of Housing and Community Development and the California State Transportation Agency before it is released to the public.”
Newsom’s proposal would establish six new community-based homeless service providers. It would offer services to homeless adults living on any of the city’s 15 housing authorities and