State turns its back on growing homelessness and affordable housing crisis

Contact:
Kayla Sherwood, 530-844-1744, ksherwood@calcities.org

Sacramento — Following the announcement that the Governor and Legislature have reached an agreement on the 2023-24 State Budget, League of California Cities Executive Director and CEO Carolyn Coleman issued the below statement:

“California is one of the largest economies in the world, yet home to the highest rate of homelessness in the country. So, it defies logic that the budget once again fails to include ongoing funding to match the scale of this emergency.

City leaders throughout the state are on the front lines of what the Legislature and the Governor agree is a crisis. Yet this budget agreement prioritizes short-term fixes over long-term, sustainable solutions. This short-sighted approach will only worsen the state’s growing housing and homelessness crisis and will hurt the Californians who need the most help. Without ongoing funding to support our residents, countless more Californians will fall into homelessness and not be able to receive the care they need.

Let’s be clear: Greater state investments to address this growing crisis should not be considered discretionary — they should be considered a mandate. With this agreement, the state is turning its back on our most vulnerable residents. Cal Cities stands by our calls for ongoing state funding to ensure that all Californians have a roof over their head and access to the services they deserve.”

Established in 1898, the League of California Cities is a nonprofit statewide association that advocates for cities with the state and federal governments and provides education and training services to elected and appointed city officials.