Inyo Supervisor Calls for Lasting Solutions to Homelessness Crisis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inyo Supervisor Calls for Lasting Solutions to  Homelessness Crisis 

SACRAMENTO, CA – Inyo County Supervisor Jeff Griffiths is among those on the frontlines of the battle  between counties and the state as California’s homelessness crisis surges throughout rural and urban  communities alike. Attempting to steer the debate away from finger-pointing and toward lasting change,  Griffiths is helping to put a spotlight on the need for defined roles, shared responsibility, and sustainable  funding in the effort to end homelessness.

Griffiths, who also serves as the president of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), helped  CSAC roll out its “AT HOME” Plan last week in the wake of Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Budget Revise,  which notably does not include additional funding for homelessness initiatives. According to CSAC, counties  and cities “are in lockstep” calling on the state to fund the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention  program fully and permanently.

“For years, the state has thrown one-time money at this problem without any real strategy,” Griffiths said. “Our  AT HOME proposal is credible, comprehensive, and directly addresses the state-imposed barriers to reducing  homelessness. It’s time to act.”

As described by CSAC, the pilot program offers solutions to what counties see as the two fundamental, state imposed barriers to addressing the crisis: no clear responsibilities for each level of government in state law;  and the state’s one-year-at-a-time approach to fighting one of this era’s most intractable problems.

“What we need are clearly delineated responsibilities of which level of government is responsible for which  part of solving the homeless issue, and then we need sustained funding,” Griffiths said.

According to CSAC, the proposal would enact a proof-of-concept pilot in counties and cities with strong  existing working relationships who will agree to clear responsibilities at each level of government, and focus on  streamlining the development process for shelter, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing  projects.

As support for the AT HOME pilot mounts, Griffiths has also been busy defending counties from Governor  Newsom’s criticism. Newsom has argued that cities and counties are not doing enough to address the issue,  especially when it comes to encampments, despite the state providing local governments $27 billion to combat  homelessness. Griffiths was quick to point out that almost half of that funding went to housing and not directly to homelessness services on the street. He said that removing encampments without providing individuals  services or anywhere else to go does nothing but relocate the problem from neighborhood to neighborhood.

News Staff