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In California, evidence of the homelessness crisis isn’t just seen in its shelters and encampments, but also in its public opinion polls and state budget priorities.
As the number of Californians living in shelters or on the street has risen dramatically — making up almost a third of the 582,500 people recorded experiencing homelessness in the latest Department of Housing and Urban Development count — so has the public’s awareness of the problem and the fiscal heft the state has dedicated to fixing it. In its most recently implemented budget, there was some $4.7 billion worth of discretionary spending on homelessness, up from $515 million in the 2018 budget, according to an analysis by California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office.
It’s part of a larger shift of responsibility of the homelessness crisis from federal and local governments to the state.
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