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Newsom's State Of The State Was All About Homelessness
Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2020 State of The State address had a single focus: homelessness.
"Let's call it what it is, it’s a disgrace," Newsom said, "that the richest state in the richest nation — succeeding across so many sectors — is falling so far behind to properly house, heal, and humanely treat so many of its own people."
In a nearly hour-long speech, Newsom announced plans to loosen regulations on building shelters, ramp up mental health care and make it easier to force the mentally ill into treatment.
He also said he would increase pressure on counties to spend tax dollars earmarked for mental health treatment, require local governments to show progress on housing homeless people and work with the legislature to insure more housing, especially affordable housing and housing along transit lines, gets built.
Newsom said he was immediately freeing up 286 state-owned properties to be used to address homelessness.
He also called for a consistent state budget to address homelessness.
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"In order to reverse decades of neglect … we're also going to need more than just one-time funding," he said.
We'll have more analysis on Newsom's speech soon.
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