California Republican leaders have criticized Governor Gavin Newsom’s handling of the state’s homelessness crisis, citing a recent report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that listed California as having the highest number of homeless individuals in the country.
State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones said that Newsom’s response to the crisis has been inadequate, citing the fact that the state has spent $27 billion on homelessness but has seen a 3% increase in homelessness. Jones also pointed out that other states, such as Illinois, Wyoming, and Hawaii, have seen similar or worse increases in homelessness.
The Republican caucus of the California State Assembly also weighed in, saying that Newsom’s defense of his handling of the crisis was a “tantrum” and that his administration’s efforts have only made the problem worse. They cited a recent op-ed that claimed Newsom’s handling of the crisis will be a key point of attack for his prospective 2028 Democratic presidential primary challengers.
Newsom’s office responded by saying that the HUD report is an indictment of his capabilities, and that he is committed to addressing the crisis. They also pointed out that unsheltered homelessness grew four times faster during the administration of former Governor Jerry Brown than under Newsom’s administration.
Assembly Republicans responded by saying that an increase of 20% is not progress, and that Newsom’s administration needs to do more to address the crisis. They also pointed out that the state’s 14% increase in homelessness fell below the national increase of 21%.
The criticism from Republican leaders comes as Newsom’s administration has faced increasing pressure to address the state’s homelessness crisis. The crisis has been exacerbated by a shortage of affordable housing and a lack of funding for homeless services.