California voters approve measure requiring counties to address homelessness crisis

A ballot measure that would require California counties to address the homelessness crisis narrowly clinched enough votes to pass Wednesday night.

About 50.2 percent of California voters backed Proposition 1, according to the state’s unofficial election results from March 5. If passed, the measure will authorize $6.38 billion in bonds to build mental health facilities and more housing for those with mental health, drug or alcohol challenges.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) had backed the measure and raised more than $13 million to promote it, according to The Associated Press. The AP noted the state accounts for nearly one-third of the homeless population in the United States, and about 181,000 Californians are in need of housing.

“This is a huge victory for doing things radically different when it comes to tackling homelessness. The biggest change CA has seen in DECADES. Now it’s time to get to work — repairing the damage caused by decades of broken promises and neglect to those suffering from severe mental illness. Thank you, California,” Newsom wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Proposition 1, promoted as Treatment Not Tents, would build enough housing to shelter more than 11,000 residents. It will also target veterans experiencing homelessness by directing $1 billion to address the issue.

It will also provide funding to hire more professionals to help those with mental health issues.

To pay for the additional funding, it would not raise takes, but would require counties to spend two-thirds of the funds from a 2004 tax enacted on millionaires for mental health services on housing and other programs for those who are homeless and have mental health issues.

Critics of the proposition have said it could make the problem worse, with rural counties needing to spend the same percentage of funds as urban areas like San Francisco, according to the AP. Critics say they would need to divert money from existing programs to fall in line with the new requirements.

It took more than two weeks for the measure to pass in the heavy Democratic state.

The Associated Press contributed.

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