Gov. Newsom announces stronger homelessness accountability measures with new website
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION-TV) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new website that holds California counties accountable in tackling homelessness.
The new site, accountability.ca.gov, allows visitors to keep tabs on what counties are doing with their funding in tackling homelessness.
"No one in our nation should be without a place to call home. As we continue to support our communities in addressing homelessness, we expect fast results, not excuses," governor Newsom said in a statement. "While we are pleased by the progress many communities have made to address the homelessness crisis, there is more work to do.”
The site takes an in-depth look at counties and cities' housing plans and if they are up to the state standards or out of compliance.
Also displayed on the site are pro-housing jurisdictions, the number of housing units permitted and constructed and progress toward housing goals.
For example, the site shows that Monterey County and San Benito Counties housing plans are not compliant with the state standards.
Cities that are out of compliance with the standards in those counties include Del Rey Oaks, Gonzales, Greenfield, Hollister, Pacific Grove, and San Juan Bautista.
Santa Cruz County is shown to be compliant with state standard, both on a county and cities' levels.
The California State Association of Counties Chief Executive Officer Graham Knaus issued a statement in response to the new website, calling the site a "spin without the substance to back it up."
"The real barriers to progress are the state-mandated bureaucratic hurdles that slow local governments down, forcing them to navigate a maze to get resources on the ground," Knaus said.
Further in the statement, the CSAC stated that progress toward current goals will remain slow unless all levels of government work together to address issues.
"Blaming local governments won’t alleviate the homelessness crisis. Real partnership and long-term investments will," Knaus continued.
