Local governments in California could have their funding for homelessness slashed next year if they fail to use what is left in this year’s budget to sweep encampments.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) is purportedly weighing the funding cut for cities and counties dragging their feet on clearing large encampments that have dotted the state, Bloomberg reported Friday.
The cuts could come as soon as next year, though it is not clear just how much money Newsom’s administration is ready to withhold or which counties and cities are at the top of the list. There are more than 180,000 homeless people in the state.
About 123,000 Californians are unsheltered on any given night, according to a recent count. Unlike New York City, which guarantees people the right to housing, California does not.
Since Newsom was elected governor in 2018, the state has spent $27 billion to address homelessness.
An audit released earlier this year called California’s ability to track and analyze its spending on homeless services into question.