California Mayors Urge Continued Funding for Homeless Aid

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Innovative community initiatives in San Diego aimed at supporting the homeless population.

News Summary

Mayors from San Diego and Sacramento are advocating for ongoing funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Grant Program (HHAP), which has significantly contributed to alleviating California’s homelessness crisis. They warn that proposed budget cuts could reverse progress made in reducing homelessness in their cities and emphasize the economic benefits of continued investment in housing solutions.

San Diego – The mayors of California’s largest cities, including San Diego and Sacramento, have urged the state to continue funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Grant Program (HHAP), which has played a critical role in addressing the state’s homelessness crisis. The mayors voiced their concerns that the proposed state budget does not include new funding for HHAP, a program that has allocated millions of dollars to cities across California aimed at reducing homelessness.

Both Todd Gloria, the mayor of San Diego, and Kevin McCarty, the mayor of Sacramento, warned that the lack of sustained funding for HHAP could exacerbate the state’s ongoing homelessness crisis. They highlighted that cities have made significant progress in combatting homelessness thanks to HHAP, but ending financial support could reverse these gains.

The HHAP program has proven to be beneficial for California’s largest cities. Since its inception in 2019, cities have created over 17,691 shelter beds, helped connect more than 152,000 individuals to shelters, developed 2,295 permanent housing units, and placed 42,215 individuals into temporary or permanent housing solutions. Recent data shows impressive declines in homelessness in San Diego and Sacramento, where the former reported a 14% reduction based on a point-in-time count from January compared to the previous year, and Sacramento experienced a 29% drop over two years.

The economic implications of homelessness were also underscored by the mayors. Acknowledging the high costs associated with homelessness, they argued that investment in housing solutions is far more cost-effective than allowing individuals to remain without shelter. Sacramento’s HHAP funding supports over 1,300 emergency shelter units along with hundreds of supportive housing options, while San Diego has successfully doubled its citywide shelter capacity and enhanced outreach teams through initiatives like the Safe Parking Program for those living in vehicles.

The mayors emphasized the importance of fiscal responsibility and transparency in deploying public funds while calling for the state legislature to fully fund HHAP at $1 billion, particularly given California’s general fund of over $225 billion. They expressed alarm over recent funding cuts, which could severely limit the availability of shelter beds and outreach services necessary for the unhoused population.

California’s homelessness crisis has longstanding roots, primarily stemming from decades of underinvestment in housing and insufficient production of affordable units. The state accounts for nearly one-quarter of the total homeless population in the United States, underscoring the dire need for effective policies and sustained investments to tackle this issue.

Local leaders have recognized that collaborative efforts involving both state and local governments are essential to creating effective homelessness solutions. They stressed the importance of continual support from the state to maintain momentum in the fight against homelessness, as any significant cutbacks in funding could present major challenges to ongoing efforts aimed at helping individuals in need.

With increased collaboration, the mayors believe it is possible to build on the progress made thus far and create a comprehensive strategy to address homelessness effectively. The impacts of HHAP have already shown measurable results, and continuity of funding is seen as critical to further alleviating this pressing social issue.