Newsom attempts to tackle homelessness crisis
Governor Newsom has recently approved two new bills in order to address the homeless crisis by expanding housing options in California.
According to CBS News, as of June 2024, homelessness in Los Angeles has decreased by 10 percent, which is the first large decrease in nine years. Up until this year homelessness has been spiking, with 45 percent of people living in Los Angeles without a home as of last year.
The first bill that Newsom has signed into law is AB 2835, which aims to secure motels and hotels for shelter programs. This simplifies the process for service providers to locate people experiencing homelessness and place them in privately owned hotels and motels, which has been shown to help improve stability for those in need. Many believe that such programs are positive, and that they are offering good support to those without homes. On the other hand, others criticize these programs, saying that they do not offer long-term housing and solutions. Many hotels and motels have been hesitant to partake in the shelter plans because of the possibility that those who participate in these programs would become entitled to the usual landlord-tenant protections. However, that would not be the case. The executive summary of the bill presented at a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting this year - covered by CBS News - helped explain why,
“There were reports as well that participating hotels and motels were engaging in the practice of ‘shuffling’ program participants, forcing participants to move before they reach the 30 day mark and assume landlord-tenant protections, in order to avoid needing to comply with landlord-tenant laws when program participants are removed from the program,” CBS News stated.
The second bill that Newsom has approved is one that will streamline the permitting of in-house units, called AB 3057. ADUs, more commonly known as “Accessory Dwelling Units,” are exempt from the environmental review and permit process that all other housing developments must engage in. These units have given Californian residents the option of more affordable housing without having to buy additional property, all while serving as an additional source of income. The goal of AB 3057 is to build junior accessory dwelling units (JADUS), which will allow for these units to be built more efficiently. They will be given the same permitting exceptions, and are 500 square feet compared to the ADUs’ typical 700-800 square footage. Through this process of creating more junior dwelling units, more affordable housing will be implemented throughout the state.
Meanwhile, Santa Monica officials have been considering implementing legislation of their own, although locals remain unsure if this is a step in the right direction. The City Council has discussed a ban on pillows and blankets outdoors, making it difficult for unhoused people living in Santa Monica to find a place to sleep outdoors. This proposition stemmed from the idea that Santa Monica has become unsafe due to the increasing homelessness issue.
It’s true that the homeless population in Santa Monica has been held responsible for a number of crimes recently. For instance, Mayor Phil Brock was reportedly assaulted on Third Street Promenade last summer. Additional incidents of assault and attack were reported throughout the city this spring, involving a 17-year-old girl and an elderly woman among others.
Events like this are what lead many Santa Monica residents to feel unsafe about the current homeless crisis. However, many still find the approach of wiping the homeless off the streets inhuman. Samo student Julian Haggart (’26) agrees that there is a better approach to amending the homelessness crisis in the area,
“I believe the city should help them more by providing them with housing and food,” Hagart said. “Don’t ignore them, and give them food, even if it’s your leftovers.”
