California has made significant strides in addressing homelessness, contrasting with national trends where the issue continues to escalate. The state has notably reduced the growth rate of homelessness, with a particular focus on veteran and youth populations.
Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted California’s progress in a statement: “No one in our nation should be without a place to call home. Homelessness continues to rise and increase at ever-higher numbers nationwide, but we are seeing signs of progress in California. We have turned the tide on a decades-long increase in homelessness – but we have more work to do.”
In 2024, while homelessness rose by over 18% across the country, California managed to restrict its increase to 3%, which is lower than that of 40 other states. The state’s efforts have also been reflected in unsheltered homelessness rates, which grew by less than 0.45% compared to nearly 7% nationwide.
The availability of shelter beds has been a key factor in this achievement. While there was an almost 4% decrease nationally, California increased its capacity by 5.7%, reaching a total of 208,517 year-round beds. Under Newsom’s administration, the state added a record number of approximately 71,000 shelter beds.
Efforts extend beyond providing shelter. Governor Newsom has emphasized expanding care and implementing accountability measures for local governments tackling homelessness. This includes an executive order from August urging alignment with Caltrans’ encampment policy for humane management of homeless encampments.
Additionally, initiatives like the Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court aim to ensure individuals with untreated psychosis receive necessary treatment and housing support. Proposition 1 further supports behavioral health services focusing on those at risk or experiencing homelessness.
The broader strategy involves transforming mental health services into comprehensive behavioral health services and building community mental health treatment sites as part of Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Movement.
