Ending Homelessness

We can solve our homelessness crisis. My background in public service began with serving the state of California during the foreclosure crisis, helping oversee the implementation of the national mortgage settlement that kept thousands of Californians in their homes and delivered billions in relief. That work taught me how important keeping people in their homes is as a determinant for their future success. Even one time emergency rental payments to prevent eviction can make all the difference. 

My homelessness plan focuses on two strategies that California has not adopted: homeless prevention through emergency rental assistance and rapid re-housing, and interim housing that can keep people from being unsheltered, which is itself a risk factor for mental health and substance use problems. Permanent supportive housing remains absolutely necessary, and the state should be putting its own skin in the game through land or other contributions to bring down its cost, but we need to be working to prevent people from needing permanent supportive housing by increasing housing supply, addressing regulations and delays that drive cost, and using prevention tools.