California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that the state will build 1,200 small homes in a select few cities in the state to combat homelessness.
The announcement came as Newsom kicked off his statewide tour in place of the traditional State of the State address that he is foregoing this year.
The big picture: The state will build the 1,200 small homes in Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Jose and San Diego.
- Notably, the Central Valley has been left out of the decision.
- Newsom said at the Thursday press conference that the project will cost around $30 million dollars.
State of play: Sacramento will receive 350 homes, Los Angeles will get 500 homes, San Jose will have 200 homes and San Diego will receive 150 homes as part of the deal.
By the numbers: With over 170,000 people experiencing homelessness, California has 30 percent of the nation’s homeless.
- California’s homelessness population is also over double that of New York’s, which is around 75,000 people.
What they’re saying: Newsom said he is “deeply mindful” of how angry Californians are about the homelessness situation going on throughout the streets and sidewalks all across the state.
- “It is not for a lack of hard work,” Newsom said. “It’s not for lack of good intention, and increasingly it’s not for lack of resources. This state has significantly increased its responsibility and role to invest.”
- Newsom went on to note that five years ago the state was spending half a billion dollars to combat homelessness. Now the state is spending over $15 billion.
