Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday the number one issue in California continues to be homelessness.
He announced another round of grants that could go toward cities and counties to tackle homeless encampments.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said the city got money from a previous round and used it to clean an encampment and provided housing too and they’re planning on applying this time around as well.
Homeless advocates say when thinking about housing, certain needs should be addressed.
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“I think we can all agree that we need to do more to clean up encampments in the state of California,” said Newsom.
He announced the third round of the encampment resolution funding program known as ERF.
Nearly $300 million are available with the goal to clean up encampments and move people into housing.
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Newsom said half of the money goes to Caltrans, the other half could go to cities, counties and nonprofits.
“We leave that discretion to the cities and counties, what's needed in terms of resolving the underlying issue so we can clean up the encampments in the first place,” said Newsom.
Just last month, Mahan and other city leaders were looking to declare a homeless shelter crisis and emergency. He's hoping to get money in this round of grants too.
“We don’t physically take someone and move them into a unit, we find that many people are willing to come indoors when offered the dignity of their own small unit with a door that locks,” he said. “For others though, we are willing to enforce our no-camping zones.”
Kelly Vazquez works with HomeFirst, an organization in Santa Clara County that offers a number of services for those who are unhoused. Vazquez said more focus needs to be put on both interim and permanent housing, something she said there isn’t enough of in the South Bay.
She said there are also needs that should be addressed.
“Are we able to accept their pets? Pets are family, I have my cat on my lap right now and like many others, I would choose to move into housing that will allow me to keep my family together,” said Vazquez.
Cities and counties have until June of next year or until the money runs out to apply.
Newsom is making it clear what California's priorities are -- it also comes though just a few days before that scheduled debate between him and Florida's Governor Ron deSantis.
