JUN. 28, 2024
By Brian Dick
Last month, the Associated Press reported that California Governor Newsom made $3.3 billion from Proposition 1 available ahead of schedule. Proposition 1 allowed the state to borrow $6.4 billion to begin building 4,350 housing units and requires that two-thirds of a tax on millionaires go to housing and programs for homeless people living with mental illness.
Around 171,000 California residents are unhoused, nearly one third of the national population. The state currently has 5,500 behavioral health beds, but is still 8,000 beds short. The funds from the proposition can be used for addiction programs, outpatient services, short-term crisis facilities, locked treatment beds, and other services.
Proponents of the measure argue it will help address homelessness and mental health needs, while critics worry that it will impinge on individual autonomy and divert funds from other programs.