0:00 - California Stopped Tracking Billions in Homeless Spending, Audit Shows
2:00 - Where Does the Money Go?
5:24 - Why Are We in This Problem?
8:17 - The Beginning of Homelessness Reform?
California has spent $24 billion on homelessness programs since 2018, yet homelessness continues to rise across the state according to a new audit. In an interview, State Assemblyman Josh Hoover discussed the audit’s troubling findings that there is a lack of transparency and accountability in how these funds are being spent.
The audit found that while money is being allocated to programs, the state has no system in place to track outcomes or measure effectiveness. Most concerning, millions have been sent to nonprofit providers with little oversight on results. Mr. Hoover notes this shows a need for new reporting requirements to understand where funds are going and what impacts they are having.
The auditor also highlighted that spending has focused on temporary services for those currently homeless, rather than preventing homelessness or helping people transition out of it. Mr. Hoover advocates freezing new spending until transparency issues are addressed and money can be tracked to actual outcomes.
Both the auditor and Assemblyman Hoover argue for a bipartisan, systematic approach focused on accountability, outcomes and getting people out of long-term homelessness through proven programs. With billions already spent and homelessness still rising, new leadership and reforms may be needed to ensure taxpayer dollars achieve real results in solving this crisis.
*Views expressed in this video/article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of California Insider.
