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Assemblymembers Josh Hoover (R-Folsom) and Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) announced Assembly Bill 2417 Thursday morning to expand and improve California’s response to our state’s homelessness crisis. This legislation increases funding flexibility for treatment and service oriented programs by repealing the state’s existing one-size-fits-all “Housing First” approach to homelessness.
Our current approach to homelessness is failing to get the results our communities are asking for,” Assemblyman Josh Hoover said. “We need a renewed focus not just on housing, but on getting people the necessary treatment they need to get out of the cycle of homelessness. It’s time for our state to support programs that are driving real change and getting people the help they need.
Since 2018 California has spent over $20 billion taxpayer dollars to solve the homelessness crisis. During that same period the state’s overall homelessness population has increased by 32 percent and today half of the nation’s unsheltered homeless live in California.
“If we are serious about fully addressing the growing homelessness crisis, we must ensure we are treating the root causes of homelessness,” said Assemblyman Joe Patterson. “Shelters without accountability have proven to be ineffective. AB 2417 will allow the existing successful programs in my district, and statewide, to focus their efforts on providing proven effective services to assist individuals in restoring and rebuilding their lives.”
AB 2417 shifts California’s focus “Beyond Housing” by recognizing that individuals experiencing homelessness have diverse needs and may require different pathways to stability. The bill would allow state agencies and departments to allocate funds to programs that prioritize mental health and drug treatment as a prerequisite for participation.
The proposed legislation comes in response to growing concerns over the shortcomings of the “Housing First” model, which has failed to adequately address the root causes of homelessness in many cases and has left many individuals without access to essential services. Moving “Beyond Housing” offers another tool in the toolbox for local governments as they seek to develop more holistic approaches to addressing homelessness.