Poverty and Homelessness

California cities of every size lack shelter beds for the state’s growing homeless population. A new bill would force local governments to do more, and punish ones that don’t plan housing for homeless Californians.

At the direction of a bipartisan group of state lawmakers, the state auditor will complete a detailed audit of spending on California homelessness programs. The number of unhoused has grown, even as spending has increased.

Democratic voters in California cities are pushing mayors and city councils to clear homeless camps. Leaders are responding with new ordinances, from Sacramento to San Diego.

Oregon’s largest urban areas will start receiving nearly $80 million to help residents out of homelessness by the end of the month, Gov. Tina Kotek announced Monday.

After the number of homeless students dropped during the early part of the pandemic, experts say the lack of affordable housing is fueling an increase that may continue to escalate.

Democratic leaders in California and Oregon are becoming more open to using involuntary psychiatric commitment to combat homelessness, drug abuse and untreated mental illness.

The money, approved early in the legislative session, will build more shelter beds, help prevent evictions, devote resources to rural counties and help homeless youth.

The Sacramento region could open more than 600 tiny homes for unhoused residents over the next year, including 350 promised by Governor Gavin Newsom last week, with the goal of moving people from illegal encampments to safe but temporary shelter.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, whose administration is struggling to contain a worsening homelessness crisis despite record spending, is trying something bold: tapping federal health care funding to cover rent for homeless people and those at risk of losing their housing.

Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday his administration will provide 1,200 tiny homes to cities and counties around California in an effort to shelter unhoused people in the state, which has the highest rate of homelessness in the nation.

Oregon is on track to spend $200 million to help homeless residents move into houses, give people who have fallen behind on rent more time to pay and create new goals for cities to build homes under a pair of measures approved Wednesday by the state House.

Dozens of advocates brought their personal tales of hunger to a state Senate committee hearing this week in hopes of persuading lawmakers to support proposals to give food aid to low-income residents who are excluded from federal benefits.