On May 20, Assembly Bill 3300 cleared the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on a 6-1 vote.
Authored by several legislators representing different regions across the state and supported by over 100 local leaders, housing and homelessness advocates, this dual bill and budget proposal would allocate an ongoing investment of $2 billion to local governments to expedite the delivery of much needed housing and critical services.
Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) said California’s homelessness crisis will undoubtedly worsen due to the economic hardship brought on by COVID-19. A recent analysis estimates a 40% to 45% increase in homelessness by the end of 2020, and evidence of this increase is already being reported in California. Santiago said the state must prioritize an adequate investment of funds to withstand a surge of homelessness and prevent those housed during COVID-19 from landing back on the streets post-pandemic.
“What good is it to shelter homeless people in hotels now if they’ll just land back on the streets after current funding dries up?” said Santiago, who serves as chair of the Select Committee on Los Angeles County Homelessness.
AB 3300 now heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
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