Gavin Newsom's Homelessness Boast Mocked by GOP

Gov. Gavin Newsom's response to criticism of his homelessness crisis management was mocked by California Republican leaders, who stated that any rise in homelessness is unacceptable.

Brian Jones, the Senate Minority Leader, criticized Newsom, stating that the year-end Homelessness Assessment Report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was a reflection of his inadequacies.

Jones stated that the report shows California has the highest homeless population in the country, with an increase of 3% to 187,000 people, and Gavin Newsom lost track of the $27 billion spent on the homeless crisis.

Jones, R-San Diego, stated that according to today's HUD report, Newsom's continuous spending approach has not resolved the issue but has worsened it.

Recently, Newsom's office announced that the state had distributed $24 billion to local governments to tackle homelessness through various state programs.

"The statement continued, "All that money is accounted for," seemingly implying that the funds Jones had claimed were "lost" were actually found."

The audit revealed that not all state programs required locals to report on how they used funds to reduce homelessness in the most recent years and lacked data to compare the effectiveness of one program versus another. This issue has now been resolved.

The administration has strengthened accountability and reporting requirements for local governments receiving state funding. The notion that we are unaware of where the money went is absurd, as the audit has confirmed.

The report stated that family homelessness increased by more than 100% in Illinois, Wyoming, Hawaii, and Colorado.

The Republican caucus of the California State Assembly responded to Newsom's defense against criticisms in CalMatters with a statement.

The caucus, led by Assemblyman James Gallagher of Yuba City, wrote that Governor Newsom's office threw a tantrum over a column that exposed his history of failure on homelessness.

If Newsom decides to run for president in 2028, his handling of the homelessness crisis will likely be a major point of attack for his Democratic primary opponents.

According to the column, Newsom stated that addressing what is happening on the streets is a top priority and he is willing to hold local officials accountable.

"Newsom stated that people must witness and experience the advancement and transformation," according to the article.

Newsom's response to the column was a series of pointed posts, which was then cited by Gallagher's caucus.

The sheer population size of California makes it essential to consider the broader context and compare the current administration's efforts to address homelessness with the past when discussing this issue, as failing to do so is a disservice to Californians.

"The Governor has emphasized that the work is far from over and that urgent results are needed at the local level. To achieve quicker results, new accountability tools have been put in place. However, this is a long-term effort that involves implementing Prop 1, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, and the recently approved BH-Connect waiver, all of which aim to address the systemic issues of homelessness but are not yet fully online."

During the final years of Gov. Edmund "Jerry" Brown's administration, unsheltered homelessness increased at a faster rate than it did under his successor, Gov. Gavin Newsom.

During the Newsom Administration (2019-2023), the percentage increase in the number of unsheltered homeless was 13.83%, compared to a 51.79% increase in the five-year period prior to the administration (2015-2019).

The governor's office stated that California's 14% increase in homelessness in 2023 was lower than the national increase of 21%.

According to a weekend statement from Newsom's office, California experienced a 3% increase in homelessness in 2024, surpassing 40 other states.

Assembly Republicans responded to Newsom’s original comments.

The governor's commitment to gaslighting on this issue means that an increase of 20% is not progress, as their statement stated.

The Senate minority leader, Jones, stated on Friday that he supported bipartisan legislation aimed at modifying California's homelessness policies and emphasizing "compassionate enforcement" of encampment infractions.

One of his proposals from the previous term that did not receive Newsom's approval centered on the state law classifying "lodging" in a public or private place without permission as disorderly conduct.

The bill would have postponed any indictment on that count for 72 hours after the first notice and mandated a local program for homeless individuals in those circumstances.

No American should be without a place to call home, as Newsom stated.

Despite the rise of homelessness across the country, there are indications of advancement in California.

"Although we have successfully reversed the upward trend in homelessness, there is still much to be accomplished. California's ambitious plan, despite its challenges, is showing that it is achievable: our tactics are producing positive results."

Other large-population states, including New York, Florida, Illinois, and Texas, experienced a higher increase in unsheltered homelessness than California, with the governor's office stating that the percentage was under one percent.