Published 27 days ago • loading... • Updated 26 days ago

California’s homelessness grows despite increased spending to address it, lawmakers say

Lawmakers requested an audit after Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, said roughly $24 billion has been spent since 2019 on homelessness programs.
The state's HHAP program, launched in 2019, shows California's homeless population about 187,000, a 60% rise since 2015, with wildfires also contributing.
HCD told The Center Square that the Homekey program resulted in 16,000 new homes and expects to help more than 172,000 people, citing a 59% rise in construction.
Officials warned that a federal audit of California's Department of Housing and Community Development found inadequate fraud detection, risking over $319.5 million of federal funds.
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-La Palma, said long-term underbuilding since the 1980s worsens California’s housing crisis, while economist Wayne Winegarden argued an audit can verify if spending produced results.

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