The Legislative Analyst's Office has just published the following
report:
The 2020-21 Budget: The Governors Homelessness Plan
In this report we provide the Legislature with background on the
state's homelessness challenges, provide an update on major recent state
efforts to address homelessness, assess the Governors 2020-21
homelessness plan, propose a framework to help the Legislature develop
its own plan and funding allocations, and offer an alternative to the
Governors 2020-21 budget proposal.
Governors 2020-21 Budget Proposal Includes Significant State
Funding for Homelessness. The Governors 2020-21 budget reflects
his commitment to addressing this complex issue by once again proposing
significant state resources towards addressing homelessness, including:
· Proposes $750 Million
Deposit Into Newly Established California Access to Housing Services
(CAAHS) Fund. The Governor proposes $750 million General Fund in
one-time funding to the CAAHS Fund he established through executive order
within the Department of Social Services. The administration indicates
that a primary goal of the fund is to help alleviate street-based
homelessness and increase the number of housing units.
· Proposes $695 Million
to Reform the Medi-Cal System to Serve Populations With Complex
Needs. The Governors budget proposes $695 million total funds
($348 million General Fund) to begin implementation of a major Medi-Cal
reform proposal referred to as Medi-Cal Healthier California for All
(MHCA). The MHCA initiative broadly is intended to provide more
comprehensive care to patients with complex needs, including individuals
on Medi-Cal who are experiencing homelessness.
Governors Proposal Raises Key Questions and Falls Short of
Articulating a Clear Strategy. The scale of the homelessness
crisis in California is significant and even substantial investments in
resources could quickly dissipate without demonstrating much progress if
investments are made without a clear plan. We recognize that there is no
obvious right answer as to how the state should address the homelessness
crisis. That said, we find the Governors budget proposal falls short of
articulating a clear strategy for curbing homelessness in California. In
the absence of a clear strategy, the Governors proposed approach is less
likely to make a meaningful ongoing impact on the states homelessness
crisis. Additionally, we find that the details provided as part of the
Governors 2020-21 homelessness proposal raise many important questions
for the Legislature to consider.
Prior to Committing to a New Approach, Clear Strategy Needed.
We urge the Legislature to develop a strategy for addressing this
complex challenge. By creating a strategy, the Legislature could increase
the likelihood that the states resources are used in a way that results
in meaningful reductions in homelessness. A strategy that aligns with
defined goals and delineates responsibilities between the state and local
governments could set the state on a productive path towards reducing
homelessness and preventing more individuals from becoming homeless.
Alternative 2020-21 Action. We recognize that homelessness
is a dire problem with significant statewide consequences. A desire to
quickly bring relief to those individuals that are experiencing and
at-risk of homelessness stands in contrast to our recommendation to
develop a clear, strategic plan. If a plan cannot be developed over the
next few months, we encourage the Legislature to take one-time action
this yearin the amount proposed by the Governor or some other
amountutilizing existing state mechanisms to support local efforts to
address homelessness.
This report is available using the following link:
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4152?utm_source=laowww&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4152