California officials shift stance on homelessness as elections near, seek new solutions despite billions spent

California politicians like London Breed and Gavin Newsom are shifting their stances on homelessness as elections approach, despite spending billions already.
"Housing First" policies allow drug use and don't require treatment, while fentanyl deaths rise.
Newsom wants $6 billion for "campus style" mental health housing, but costs are unclear.
Federal Medicaid rules restrict funding for mental hospitals over 16 beds, limiting options.
Officials now urge clearing encampments despite previously resisting shelters over permanent housing.

nypost.com

Relevant topic timeline:

9/13/2023

Newsom Vows Renewed Effort to Tackle San Francisco Homelessness, Citing Public Frustration

California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff about the homelessness crisis in San Francisco and the pressure on politicians to find solutions, emphasizing the need for real results and citing the involvement of the Supreme Court in overturning a court order limiting homeless encampment sweeps.

10/17/2023

Poverty Rates Spike in California as Pandemic Aid Expires, Hitting Black and Latino Families Hardest

Poverty has surged in California and the US, particularly among Black and Latino residents and children, due to the expiration of pandemic relief programs and rising inflation rates, according to new studies. However, some experts dismissed the findings, arguing that government data do not fully account for the aid and benefits received by poorer families. Efforts are being made at both the state and local level to address the issue, including experimenting with monthly cash payments to individuals living near or below the poverty line.