Newsom's Solution For The Homelessness Faces Significant Backlash

California Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a homelessness solution that faced harsh criticism from mental health advocates. The proposal will be on the ballot, and Newsom urged voters to approve drastic Mental Health Services Act changes.

Newsom’s proposal

Governor of California Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference in Beijing on October 25, 2023. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP) — Image by WANG Zhao / AFP

The Governor’s $6 billion measure to reduce homelessness in the state aims to modernize the Mental Health Services Act and Assembly Bill 531. It would allow nearly 12,000 new beds and housing, filling “critical needs across the state for homeless Californians with severe behavioral health issues, to kids suffering from depression, and everyone in between.”

Money divided

Counties would receive $1 billion annually for housing and related treatment for homeless people, or 60% of the funds counties gained. Currently, the counties get $2-3 billion to use as they see fit.

The crisis

California is one of the strongest economies in the world, but it also accounts for nearly one-third of the nation’s homeless population, with around 181,000 homeless people. Los Angeles County alone has around 75,000 homeless people, the data from 2023 reported. Newsom promised to find a solution to the problem while running for Governor, but this proposal was met with backlash from many mental health professionals.

Helping the most vulnerable

With the proposal, Newsom aimed to tackle two issues that many homeless people face – mental health crisis and housing. But opponents to Newsom’s Proposition 1 argued that it would take away large amounts of money from preexisting programs that rely on the state’s funding.

The cause of homelessness

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The measure, known as Proposal 1, reported that mental health issues impact 82 percent of homeless people in California. Addiction-related disorders are present among 62 percent, and according to the researchers, “the root cause of homelessness in the Golden State is income loss and lack of affordable housing.”

Human cost

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One of the opponents, a group Californians Against California Proposition 1, argues that the proposal offers “very little housing” while costing taxpayers approximately $9 billion. They added it would cut “existing mental health services that are working,” adding, “The human cost of this measure is incalculable.”

Forced cuts

Proposition 1 “will force counties to cut basic mental health services, including outpatient treatment, crisis services and peer support services that maintain stability for high-risk clients and save lives,” wrote Clare Cortright, the policy director at Cal Voices for Cal Matters.

Coerced treatment

Mark Salazar, executive director of the Mental Health Association of San Francisco, told KTLA that he “vehemently” opposes the proposal, explaining, “There are studies that show over and over that coercing treatment just doesn’t end well for the individual.”

That does not work

Shaya French, who works for the San Francisco Senior & Disability Action, told ABC7, “My concern is that it means locking people up or cohering them into staying.” French added, “Treatment doesn’t work if people are not ready. If people don’t want to get sober, they are not going to get sober. It’s a really bad experience being having your freedom taken away.”

Ignoring arguments

League of Women Voters of California argues that the proposed amendments were rushed and “ignored arguments from diverse community-based organizations and health care and civil rights advocates.” The group added that these organizations found that “community-based care is more effective than institutionalization.”

The measure will be on the ballot

Proposal 1 will be on the ballot on March 5. It was endorsed by numerous associations, including the California Teachers Association, California Hospital Association, California Medical Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness California. and Steinberg Institute. They agreed that this is the best way “to change the system” they have seen in decades.

Decades of work at stake

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The opponents, organizations like Disability Rights California, Mental Health America of California, and Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, asserted that “decades of progress are at stake.” If you want to learn more about the issue, check out CalMatters.