Overview: Governor Gavin Newsom has introduced new measures to hold local governments accountable for addressing homelessness. The state is releasing $920 million in new funding for local homelessness initiatives, and a new online platform has been launched to track local progress on homelessness, housing, and behavioral health. The platform allows Californians to assess local governments’ progress and understand the state’s funding allocations and initiatives.
Aryana Noroozi
As the state continues its fight against homelessness, Gov. Gavin Newsom has implemented new accountability measures to ensure communities make progress. He emphasized that state funding for these programs, beginning with the latest round of Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) funding, is now tied to strict performance benchmarks. The state reserves the right to withhold funds from communities that fail to show improvements.
In April 2024, The California State Auditor found that the California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH) has not consistently tracked and evaluated the state’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness. The auditor recommended that the California State Legislature mandate reporting by state agencies on the costs and outcomes of their homelessness programs and require Cal ICH to compile and publicly report this information.
“No one in our nation should be without a place to call home. As we continue to support our communities in addressing homelessness, we expect fast results, not excuses,” stated Newsom in a press release. “While we are pleased by the progress many communities have made to address the homelessness crisis, there is more work to do.”
Communities receiving HHAP funding will be subject to increased accountability measures, including a heightened focus on resolving encampments, compliance with housing element requirements to qualify for future funding, and a mandate to spend previous awards before receiving new funds.
As part of his proposed 2025-2026 budget, Newsom is calling for even stricter accountability, including prioritizing “pro-housing” communities and implementing measures to reclaim funding from local governments that fail to demonstrate progress.
To increase transparency, the state has launched Accountability.ca.gov, a new online platform that compiles thousands of locally reported data points. This tool provides residents with an in-depth look at their community’s efforts to combat homelessness, build housing, and expand behavioral health support. The platform allows Californians to assess local governments’ progress and better understand the state’s funding allocations and initiatives.
The state is distributing $160 million immediately and making $760 million in additional funding available for local governments to accelerate homelessness solutions.
Key funding allocations include Encampment Resolution, which provides $118.7 million to support 14 projects aimed at moving people from encampments into shelters and permanent housing. Los Angeles will receive $56.4 million to address encampments near I-10, Hollywood Boulevard and the LA River.
Other available funding is from Shelter and Housing Support, which provides nearly $42 million in additional HHAP Round 5 funding for five regions and $760 million for HHAP Round 6. Priorities for HHAP Round 6 include permanent housing solutions, sustained funding for interim housing and outreach services and stronger regional collaboration.
While homelessness continues to rise across the nation — increasing by more than 18% in 2024 — California has managed to slow the growth significantly. The state’s homelessness rate increased by only three percent, a lower rate than in 40 other states. In the Inland Empire, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties conduct an annual Point-in-Time (PIT) survey to assess the number of individuals experiencing homelessness. The 2024 San Bernardino County count showed a 1% increase in the homeless population compared to 2023.