Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to dedicate billions of the 2021 budget toward addressing the state’s housing and homelessness crisis, he said Friday, laying out a proposal that includes funding to expand a successful pandemic housing program, increase housing for seniors and add beds in behavioral health facilities.
…“In this pandemic year with federal aid to local governments being way below what it should be, I think what we’re seeing from the governor’s budget proposal is very positive — major new investments both to combat homelessness and to create more permanent supportive housing in partnership with local governments,” said Matt Schwartz, president and CEO of the California Housing Partnership. / But Schwartz was disappointed this year’s budget proposal doesn’t include a long-term plan for addressing the housing and homelessness crisis. / “We’re going to continue pressing the governor today to really come back after the announcement of these one-time investments and join us in saying it’s now time to make a 10-year plan,” he said, “because it will take 10 years to house 150,000 homeless and produce 1.2 million more homes.”…