Homelessness in the United States
Despite considerable efforts on behalf of state and federal governments, the United States homeless population remains at an all-time high.
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According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, last year they revealed over 653,000 Americans are currency homeless, meaning that one in every 500 US citizens is unhoused.
Gavin Newsom Claims California is the National Model for Combating Homelessness
States like New York and Florida have some of the highest homelessness numbers in the state. Despite California being ranked number one, Governor Gavin Newsom recently suggested California was the “national model” for dealing with homelessness.
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Newsom uttered the words during a press release announcing a $3.3 billion fund to combat homelessness in the Golden State. The governor was later mocked and ridiculed online after suggesting that other states should follow in Calfironia’s footsteps.
California Experiences a Drop in Veteran Homeless Populations
When bragging about how the state tackles homelessness, it appears Newsom was directly referring to the extensive 30% drop California has experienced in Veteran homelessness over the past decade.
Source: Wikimedia
While this is impressive, a federal report from 2023 serves as a stark reminder of the problems the Golden State faces. It reported that around 28% of the United States’ unhoused population lives in California.
Homelessness in California Remains at a High
A report from the Daily Mail suggests Newsom may be delusional in his assessment of the current state of homelessness in California.
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“Los Angeles, which has more homeless people than any other US city at a staggering 65,111 people, saw its homelessness rate increase by nine percent in 2023 compared to the previous year.” California’s number of unsheltered homeless, 123,000, is eight times higher than that of Florida, which has just 15,000,” according to The Daily Mail.
Provision One
During his press conference, Newsom focused on the state’s homelessness initiative and touched on a mental health provision he had previously mentioned at the beginning of the year.
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“What Proposition 1 did is that it reinforced that model, provided more resources to advance that model, and we’re very excited to get those dollars to work,” said Newsom.
Californian Residents Asked to Vote on Proposition 1
California residents were asked to vote on Proposition 1 back in March 2024. It aims to expand the availability of mental health treatment plans for those suffering in the state and provide housing for those at risk of losing their homes, including veterans.
Source: Freepik
The provision passed narrowly in the statewide vote, 50.2 to 49.8. This signified how split the mentality was on the new bill in a state in which Democrats largely outnumber Republicans.
Arguments Against the Bill
California residents have expressed their opinion about the new bill online, with many suggesting it’s too expensive. Critics suggest spending billions to build just over 4,000 homes and 6,800 additional treatment beds is too costly.
Source: Freepik
On the other hand, Newsom suggests this is a dramatic shift toward combating homelessness in the state. “Five years ago, there was no homeless strategy, no homeless plan,” Newsom said. “The state of California was not involved in these issues.”
Newsom Tries to Rationalize the Spending
“To be fair, there was a half-a-billion appropriation that went out to the cities and counties with no accountability, no oversight, and no measured results – that was the first time the state put in a few bucks,” said Newsom, in an attempt to rationalize the spending.
Source: Wikimedia
“We had a mental health services act, but it outlived the world we’re living in,” he continued, by explaining that the state’s previous mental health bill was designed for a “world that no longer exists.”
Doing More as a State
Going forward, Newsom alleged Proposition 1 will ensure that California’s homeless populations will be better cared for.
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“We said we need to do more as a state. The cities and counties cannot do this alone. It’s about more than just money, it’s about resourcefulness, it’s about doing things that we were precluded from doing.”
California Governor Mocked Online
Following the press conference, several politicians and members of the public took to social media to mock Newsom’s comments.
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California Congressman Kevin Kiley responded to a clip of Newsom’s speech on X (formerly Twitter), stating his remarks were “the height of delusion.” Another viewer wrote: “Newsom is right, we are a national model – but in a negative sense. Let the nation see us as a dire warning of how not to handle homelessness.”
Further Comments on Newsome’s Speech
The internet came alive with comments in the wake of Newsom’s press conference. One user, @ChrisCbbq, wrote, “Am I missing something? What is the model?”
Source: Freepik
@Greg4114 wrote, “No, No, Newsom is right. The homeless crisis in California has made several nonprofit executives millionaires.” Meanwhile, @AdorablPenguin said, “Maybe he meant having the highest number of homeless people. He clearly wins that, hands down.”