Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Brand, Fellow Mayors Meet for Homelessness Talks with Newsom
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
March 10, 2020

Share

The mayors of California’s biggest cities had a “robust” discussion with Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday, highlighting their opposition to his plan on how to spend $750 million to combat the state’s homelessness crisis.
California’s homelessness count increased 16% last year while unsheltered populations declined in much of the rest of the country. The state’s housing shortage and high cost of living are seen as major factors in the disparity.
In his State of the State speech last month, Newsom appeared to criticize how local governments are handling the crisis. He said “spending decisions have been relatively unrestricted and locally driven,” calling for a new approach because: “The results speak for themselves.”

Newsom Proposes Regional Administration of Homeless Funds

This year, instead of dividing the $750 million among the state’s local governments, Newsom wants to divide it based on 10 geographic regions of the state. Still-to-be-named “regional administrators” would decide how to spend this money.
The latest version of Newsom’s proposal, updated on Friday, would let a local government or a group of local governments act as a regional administrator. But in places like the San Francisco Bay Area, that could mean one city or group of cities would decide how to spend the money for multiple local governments throughout the region.
Following a private meeting with Newsom, mayors representing a coalition of California’s 13 largest cities said they still oppose the plan. San Jose Mayor Sam Licarrdo said the group had a “robust conversation” about the issue with Newsom, who told the group his comments during the State of the State address “was not a criticism of how cities are engaging with this problem.”

Mayors Say They ‘Delivered a Clear Message’

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said the mayors “delivered a clear message, an unequivocal message, that cities deserve this investment and must lead the solutions to this vexing problem.”
“We are on the ground, we are accountable to our communities. We move fast and we are courageous. That’s what mayors are,” she said.
Homelessness services has historically been a local issue. But the problem has gotten so bad in recent years the state has spent more than $1 billion to boost local programs.
In 2018, the Legislature spent $450 million to local governments and continuums of care, a federally-defined group of service providers in a particular area. Monday, the mayors announced they had spent 91% of that money, more than a year ahead of the state deadline.

Cities Awaiting $650 Million Already Approved

Last year, the Legislature approved $650 million in homelessness spending, but mayors say they haven’t received most of that money yet. State law did not allow the money to be spent until the federal homeless count was completed, a process that ended in December.
“Don’t just say you passed something. The money doesn’t roll until we get it in the bank,” Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said he is “absolutely confident we are going to work it out.”
“What (Newsom) is really saying is he wants more bang for the buck on every dollar that is spent. He wants more accountability,” Steinberg said.
So far, California has been spending this money from its bountiful budget surpluses — one-time money the state is not guaranteed to have in future years. Newsom has said he wants to find more money the state can spend on homelessness every year, but he hasn’t said where that money would come from.

Support Voiced for Ongoing Homeless Funding Proposal

Monday, nine of the mayors of California’s 13 largest cities endorsed a proposal that would generate $500 million a year for homelessness programs by raising taxes on some homeowners.
The bill, authored by Democratic Assemblyman David Chiu, would eliminate the mortgage interest deduction on vacation homes. It would also lower the amount of mortgage interest people could claim for their primary homes on their state taxes. Mortgage interest would be deductible on home loans of up to $750,000 instead of the current cap of $1 million.
Homeowners are already capped at $750,000 on their federal taxes, a change adopted by the Republican-controlled Congress in 2017.
“This bill to me is a pretty good statement of what should be California’s priorities and values,” Sacramento Mayor Darrel Steinberg said.

DON'T MISS

Newsom Uses a Stunt to Position Himself as a Leader of Anti-Trump Resistance

DON'T MISS

CA Legislature Sets Record for Women in Office and Could See Historic Gender Parity

DON'T MISS

Trump to Target Iran’s Oil Trade in Renewed ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign

DON'T MISS

Over 2,500 Central Unified Students Receive Spirit Sweaters at 20th Annual ‘Warm for Winter’

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Gang Members in Shooting Involving 7-Month-Old

DON'T MISS

Fresno Team Makes Low-Budget Horror Flicks Look Like Multi-Million-Dollar Productions

DON'T MISS

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

DON'T MISS

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

DON'T MISS

Will Terance Frazier’s Nonprofit Exit Granite Park? ‘Hell No’ He Says

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Sends Pickup Into Tree, Dark Tint Cited as Cause

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Arrest Gang Members in Shooting Involving 7-Month-Old

UP NEXT

Fresno Team Makes Low-Budget Horror Flicks Look Like Multi-Million-Dollar Productions

UP NEXT

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

UP NEXT

Fresno Crash Sends Pickup Into Tree, Dark Tint Cited as Cause

UP NEXT

November Has Scattered Cool Temps, Rain Showers for Fresno

UP NEXT

Tulare County Man Brutally Killed at Halloween Party, Six Arrested

UP NEXT

City of Fresno Invests in El Dorado Park Upgrades in Maxwell-Led Move

UP NEXT

Clovis’ Measure A and Sanger’s Measure M Get Good News with Thursday Vote Update

UP NEXT

New Look Basketball Bulldogs Open at Home. How Will They Fare Under Walberg?

UP NEXT

With Mountain West Title Out of Reach, What Is Fresno State Playing For?

Over 2,500 Central Unified Students Receive Spirit Sweaters at 20th Annual ‘Warm for Winter’

2 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Gang Members in Shooting Involving 7-Month-Old

3 hours ago

Fresno Team Makes Low-Budget Horror Flicks Look Like Multi-Million-Dollar Productions

3 hours ago

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

4 hours ago

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

5 hours ago

Will Terance Frazier’s Nonprofit Exit Granite Park? ‘Hell No’ He Says

6 hours ago

Fresno Crash Sends Pickup Into Tree, Dark Tint Cited as Cause

7 hours ago

November Has Scattered Cool Temps, Rain Showers for Fresno

7 hours ago

Beyoncé Makes Grammy History With ‘Cowboy Carter,’ Leading 2025 Nominations

8 hours ago

Macklin Celebrini, NHL’s Youngest Player, Scores on Marc-Andre Fleury, League’s Oldest

8 hours ago

Newsom Uses a Stunt to Position Himself as a Leader of Anti-Trump Resistance

Two days after the nation’s voters gave Donald Trump another term as president, Gov. Gavin Newsom staged a publicity stunt to position...

47 mins ago

47 mins ago

Newsom Uses a Stunt to Position Himself as a Leader of Anti-Trump Resistance

49 mins ago

CA Legislature Sets Record for Women in Office and Could See Historic Gender Parity

1 hour ago

Trump to Target Iran’s Oil Trade in Renewed ‘Maximum Pressure’ Campaign

The Foundation for Central Schools' 20th annual Warm for Winter event provided over 2,500 Central Unified students with spirit sweaters, thanks to community partnerships and generous donors. (Central Foundation)
2 hours ago

Over 2,500 Central Unified Students Receive Spirit Sweaters at 20th Annual ‘Warm for Winter’

3 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Gang Members in Shooting Involving 7-Month-Old

3 hours ago

Fresno Team Makes Low-Budget Horror Flicks Look Like Multi-Million-Dollar Productions

Following the results of Tuesday's election, Jada Mevs, a 25-year-old from Washington, D.C., is urging women to take action by signing up for self-defense classes, deleting dating apps, getting on birth control, and investing in vibrators, as part of a growing response to the election of Donald Trump for a second term and the failure of abortion rights referendums. (Shutterstock)
4 hours ago

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

5 hours ago

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

Search

Send this to a friend