By Gabby McIntyre
Since California Governor Gavin Newson entered office in 2018, the California state government has been able to slow the increase of the unhoused population. Homelessness has seen an over 18% increase nationwide in 2024. Despite this, California only saw a 3% increase for the entirety of that past year. Placing the state first in the nation for the smallest increase. Newson has made California’s homeless population one of his main priorities resulting in many new policies and plans passing. In August 2024, Governor Newsom encouraged local governments to use policies congruent with the California Department of Transportation, Caltrans, encampment policy. Caltrans’s encampment approach focuses on a more human way to clear the encampments. The policy calls for items left at encampments to be held for at least 60 days. All people within the encampments receive notice before the encampment must be taken down and the affected individuals can receive support from local providers.
The Governers website claims, “California is a nationwide leader in the availability of year-round shelter beds. California’s year-round shelter bed capacity grew by 5.9%, reaching 208,794 beds – more than any other state in the nation.” In part of this, the state has seen a less than 0.45% increase in unsheltered homelessness in 2024, compared to the nation’s average of 7%. In recent years California has also put initiatives to reform the state’s mental health services and assistance policies. The most notable is the 2023 Care Court system. Care Court holds the state accountable for aiding people with substance abuse and mental health conditions, focusing on the state’s most vulnerable.
Though the increase of homelessness in California has slowed in the past few years, there are only so many policy changes that government officials can make. To see change, citizens must come together and aid one of the nation’s most vulnerable populations. “We have turned the tide on a decades-long increase in homelessness – but we have more work to do. California’s plan is ambitious and challenging but the data is proving that it is not impossible: our strategies are making a positive difference.” -Governor Gavin Newsom.
References:
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. (2024, December 27). California outperforms the nation in reducing the growth of homelessness; state sees largest decrease in veteran homelessness in the nation. State of California. https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/12/27/california-outperforms-the-nation-in-reducing-the-growth-of-homelessness-state-sees-largest-decrease-in-veteran-homelessness-in-the-nation/