Cosim 1

Charlene Cosim

Dr. Gutierrez

English 1AX

November 17, 2020

The Next Big Step to Solve California’s Biggest Issue, Homelessness

The state of California, known for its monumental sightings, lavish lifestyle, and...

homelessness. Over the past decade homelessness in California has increased by 22%, and has had

an increase of 16% between the years 2018-2019 (Gabriel and Ciudad-Real). Leaving around

more than 150,000 Californians to be homeless. Lately the debate of how one may end up in such

poor conditions can be endless. Leading to such a big increase in a short amount of time. Many can

criminalize them, with the argument that they are low lives that had poor/careless decisions made

that lead them to live on the street. However, this is not always the case. There are many factors

that must be taken into account with the discussion of homelessness. As it also affects families and

young adults that are primarily in low-income neighborhoods which are mainly populated by

minorities. Yes, although many who do end up on the streets are facing the harsh reality of drug

addiction, they do not speak for everybody. As the issue of homelessness does not primarily lie

within the person, but more towards the resources given to help those who have disadvantages and

are not as fortunate as those who can live the lavish lifestyle California is well known for. The

impact of this issue is significant not only in regards to the economy but also to the safety of public

health and access to affordable housing. California has only addressed the problem. It is now time

for action to overcome it. In order for California to have a lasting impact and make progress

towards homelessness, the solutions need to be more than a free 30-day waiver to a motel.

California needs to change the restriction of laws to be more compatible to those of low-income,
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and the allocation of the funds granted to the issue of homelessness should be towards programs

and services that not only provide accessible housing, but also counseling/guidance to help them

get back on their feet and pave the way for a new future.

The general definition of homelessness is not as complex at first glance. It can simply be

defined when one’s living conditions are considered to be below the minimum standard. However,

the actual issue itself and its various circumstances that can lead one to this lifestyle are anything

but simple. In the United States, California holds to up at least 27% of homelessness as of January

2019 (Gabriel and Ciudad-Real). Taking up more than one-fourth of the overall homeless

population in the United States. The issue California has on homelessness is beyond anybody’s

reach when it comes to talking about just one solution. The impact this matter has on the economy,

the safety of public health, and the availability/accessibility of affordable housing is staggering. In a

report made by the California State Auditor, the Los Angeles Police Department (L.A.P.D.) has

spent $53.6-$87.3 million dollars in regards to their interaction with the homeless in just one year.

Similarly,the Bureau of Sanitation has spent $547,000 a year to clean up homeless encampments.

The state of California is home to the largest population in the United States. Due to having such a

large population, funding granted to the state is already big to begin with. Considering

homelessness has been an ongoing issue, the progress has been little to none. It is as though the

government just throws money at the issue without giving any actual thought to where it will

progress in the next ten or fifty years. L.A.P.D. alone has spent millions of dollars in just one year.

That’s without taking into account the numerous other counties as well and their grants to help the

homeless. The budget used to assist the homeless is only growing and along with the actual

population itself. The only factor that is decreasing is the availability of affordable housing to those

in need. In the recent election, Proposition 21 was denied. This was in regards to having local
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governments establish rent control. Those who are renting in California have 30% of their income

towards housing due to the overpricing (BallotPedia). This could have been a major step towards

having affordable housing by offering a more reasonable price for the property one may be renting.

Not only does this issue have a huge effect on the economy, but it can also raise concerns when it

comes to the safety of public health, especially now with the given circumstances of the pandemic.

Given that COVID-19 is an easily transmittable disease it is even harder for the homeless to steer

clear from this virus and take the necessary safety precautions to minimize the spread. A study was

done by C.D.C. that presented COVID-19 reports from homeless shelters in San Francisco. From

April fourth-fifteenth, 143 homeless got tested and 66% were found positive. And 63 staff

members were tested, where 16% were positive. The issue of homelessness is more important than

ever due to the pandemic. Without proper care for every individual, the cases will only rise. If not

all then most of those 105 cases could have been easily prevented if the homeless issue was not out

of control in California. And the danger of this is that with one new case, it does not just stop at

that but it leads to an endless chain of COVID cases affecting everybody and not just the homeless.

In order to gain control of this issue, it all starts from the local aspect and how the city council

decides to take matters into their own hands. According to the latest Census, the homeless

population has dropped nearly 15% in recent years (Johnson). Although there was no direct factor

that contributed to this drop, some of the actions that were taken into consideration were the

increase of general assistance and access to affordable housing for families and seniors. With actual

helpful aid, California can slowly start to become a more stable state with respect to homelessness.

If California began to focus more on the long term spectrum of helping the homeless with services

and permanent housing, and less on trying to get rid of them by sight. Our economy can grow

tremendously with the new employment and attributions to the community that they can offer. Our
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safety in regards to public health would also be a better odds as more Californians will have more

access to the proper healthcare to assist their needs. Based on the impact that this issue has, it must

be addressed immediately and the best solution is to make sure the programs offered are properly

funded and making sure their effect is not only short term but long term as well.

As mentioned before, with respect to the local issue of homelessness, Monterey County has

been progressing. According to the latest homeless census from Monterey, 400 people have been

declared off the streets (Cuevas). There must be an emphasis on the fact that this does not present

nor speak for the entire homeless population of the present or future, but it is a start. And this can

still be seen as a major victory towards the local leaders and even state leaders in regards to their

efforts on minimizing this issue. However, although there is a clear progression on the local level

there is still much to be addressed. Over 75% of the homeless population here in Monterey claimed

the main reason they could not have access to housing was that they could not afford rent

(Cuevas). Many families with children of all ages are being forced to live on the street due to the

lack of proper income. Prices for housing have only been increasing to the point where it’s almost

unattainable for those of low income to even find a basic apartment they could afford, even with

having the adults work multiple jobs. In Salinas, a two-bedroom is nearly double the national

average costing $2,094 (Cuevas). With the overpricing of basic housing, plus the expenses of extra

necessities like food, school supplies, and electronics due to the pandemic it is no surprise that the

issue of homelessness seems to be out of control. However, if we were to fix the pricing of rentals

it would allow the families to provide proper care for their children. Which in turn would not only

decrease the homeless population, but it would also pave the way for a better future for their

children and would less likely be back on the streets.

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Furthermore, having the proper allocation of funding would not only help stabilize the

housing market towards low-income, but can also improve the homeless services and create a more

lasting impact for those they help. Focusing more on permanent solutions than temporary will bring

California to a decrease of homelessness faster. In a report done by the Legislative Analyst Office,

they found that the more permanent solutions would be long-term rent assistance, supportive

housing, as well as presenting programs that have majorly helped the homeless population in

California. Although, the cost of having supportive housing for the homeless will be more. Which

is why it’s crucial for the state and local governments to allocate funds properly. California has

been offering rapid-housing like housing searches, and short-term rent assistance or shelters (The

California Legislature's Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor). Which is very affordable, and in

short can help more homeless. However the solution itself is not as lasting and would just take

back some of those that were helped back to the street. The temporary solutions are not actually

solutions but more of ways to hide how big the issue really is by decreasing the population for a

while with little to almost no guarantee that they will be off the street for good. On the other hand,

no solution is completely wrong because at the end of it all helping those in need is the ultimate

goal. However if the impact desired is to be more permanent, that’s when the decision of how we

go about our laws and funding is crucial.

Due to the expenses needed in order to assist the homeless population, there has been a

debate of whether or not the funding should even be given. The main reason for this is due to the

criminalization of the homeless.Many focus on the substance abuse aspect of it all. As it was

reported that 17% of the California homeless population do have a chronic substance abuse

disorder (The California Legislature's Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor). So, it is a proven

fact that there are some homeless that suffer from substance abuse and may take the help they need
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for granted. However that does not merely speak for even a quarter of the homeless population,

then it does not speak for all. Those who believe this argument fail to realize the other factors

mentioned previously that can imply to the homeless. In fact, statistics show that a total of 7,044

family households and 263,058 students are experiencing homelessness having 7,490 of those

students being unaccompanied (United States Interagency Council of Homlessness). As

mentioned before a majority of those families are homeless due to the lack of stability with

housing. And generalizing that the homeless population as low lives or drug addicts causes

disadvantages to the families and students who are experiencing financial difficulties and are in

need of any sort of assistance. It is especially important to make sure to provide the proper aid that

is long lasting to the families in order to prevent the growth of this population. The reason being is

if we can prevent families from living off the street, the parents/guardians are more capable of

providing the children with a better future in hopes of keeping them off the street. Also with the

criminalization of the homeless does not solve the problem but just spreads the problem into other

aspects. For instance, criminalizing the homeless will lead to a larger prison/jail population, 23% of

the homeless population is mentally ill (The California Legislature's Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy

Advisor). Typically, instead of them receiving the proper treatment to control their illness many are

detained due to public disturbances. As a result of the lack of proper care, once released they just

continue the cycle again from going onto the street into a prison. Some even prefer to go back to

prison because they are provided with shelter and food at the bare minimum. As another source for

shelter, many turn to hospitals and health care facilities (The California Legislature's Nonpartisan

Fiscal and Policy Advisor). Many who seek shelter in these facilities are due to the symptoms of

withdrawal. From there they are taken care of where they are offered food, new clothes and a

temporary shelter. However, once again the solutions given are only temporary. If the continuation
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of criminalizing the homeless continues and is only provided the short term solutions, improvement

will be found nowhere. What needs to taken into consideration is all the factors that play into the

issue, not just the person. The harsh reality is that the main reason people are out living on the

streets is not only because of the decision they have made, but it also has to do with the system

they are in and how it is run. Shifting the focus and understanding the root of the problem is the

first step to the right direction. Focusing the grants given to the homeless services, stabilization of

housing, and processing of new legislation is what will fix the system to provide every Californian

with a better future regardless of income.

Truly this is an issue that is anything but simple. There’s many layers to this issue, too many

where one simple solution can be found. However this does not mean it is unsolvable instead it

causes more urgency for action upon both local and state governments. A current organization that

has been helpful for homeless families is California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids

(CalWORKs). They offer assistance to families with little to no income on covering certain

expenses like rent, medical care, food, and etc. With the assistance they provide families with a

more comfortable environment, especially for their children. Another action that has been taken is

the passing of legislation. However Proposition 21 which was in regards to rental control was not

passed. Proposition 2 was passed back in 2018. This proposition meant any mental health funds

left would be used to pay off housing for them as well (League of Women Voters of California).

And as almost a quarter of the homeless population is chronically mentally ill, those who seek and

receive the proper care will also be provided a better chance of having a more permanent housing

with the remaining funds.

In short, the actions being taken locally seem to start to have a lasting effect. However, that

is just the beginning as there is still much to do overall with the issue of homelessnes in California.
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Having each county focus more on allocating the funds towards local programs that focus more on

stabilizing one in such poor conditions rather than offering a temporary solution will provide a long

lasting effect not just on the person but also in the community. As a state, California must present

legislation that can be in favor of not only helping those who are currently homeless but also those

who are at risk of being homeless. And it’s Californians job to vote and make sure the legislation

will pass. New laws and propositions may have the biggest impact when it comes to this issue as it

is what sets how each city council may go about it. Speaking out and taking actions for those who

aren’t capable of doing so can be the most important thing somebody can do. Voting and starting

petitions that are in favor of proper allocation of funding for homeless services and more affordable

housing is where it starts. Offering to help in those services is where it continues.

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Bibliography

American Security Project. “The Impact of Homelessness on Economic Competitiveness.”

American Security Project., 01 May 2018,

https://www.americansecurityproject.org/impact-homelessness-economic-competitiveness/.

Accessed 18 November 2020.

BallotPedia. California Proposition 21, Local Rent Control Initiative (2020). BallotPedia, 2020.

ballotpedia.org,

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_21,_Local_Rent_Control_Initiative_(2020).

The California Legislature's Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor. “The Governor's

Homelessness Plan.” lao.ca.gov, 2020,

https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4152#:~:text=California%20Has%20a%20Dispropor

tionately%20Large,other%20state%20in%20the%20nation. Accessed 15 November 2020.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Prevalence in

Homeless Shelters — Four U.S. Cities, March 27–April 15, 2020.” CDC, 2020,

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6917e1.htm. Accessed 19 November 2020.

Cuevas, Eduardo. “Census: Monterey County's homeless population decreases 15%, nearly half

live in Salinas.” The Californian, 22 August 2019,

https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2019/08/22/homeless-population-monterey-cou

nty-salinas-census-california-housing-salinas/1699256001/.

Gabriel, Ian, and Victoria Ciudad-Real. “State of Homelessness in California Fact Sheet.”

socialinnovation,
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https://socialinnovation.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Homelessness-in-CA-Fact-Sh

eet-v3.pdf.

League of Women Voters of California. “Proposition 2: Authorizes Bonds to Fund Existing

Housing Program for Individuals with Mental Illness.” lwvc.org, 2018,

https://lwvc.org/vote/elections/ballot-measures/proposition-2-authorizes-bonds-fund-existin

g-housing-program. Accessed 20 November 2020.

United States Interagency Council of Homlessness. “California Homelessness Statistics.”

usich.gov, 2019,

https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/ca/#:~:text=California%20Homelessness%2

0Statistics&text=Of%20that%20Total%2C%207%2C044%20were,were%20individuals%2

0experiencing%20chronic%20homelessness. Accessed 20 November 2020.