California has spent $24 billion to combat homelessness over the last five years—and what did it get for its money? More homelessness, according to a new state audit that should embarrass Sacramento and infuriate taxpayers.
The Legislature charged state auditor Grant Parks with reviewing the state’s homeless spending as the numbers camping on streets rise. Alas, his report this week concludes that the state “lacks current information on the ongoing costs and outcomes of its homelessness programs.”
The agency in charge “has not consistently tracked and evaluated the State’s efforts to prevent and end homelessness,” he adds. Translation: California has been wasting billions of dollars to no good effect.
According to the audit, 181,399 people were homeless at some point in 2023, up from 118,552 in 2013 and 151,278 in 2019. “To address this ongoing crisis, nine state agencies have collectively spent billions of dollars in state funding over the past five years administering at least 30 programs dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness,” Mr. Parks writes.
Yet he found that only two programs “appear” to be “cost-effective.” Emphasize “appear.” One program converted existing buildings such as hotels into homeless housing at a $144,000 cost per unit. This was less expensive than the $380,000 to $570,000 per unit it cost to build new affordable housing in 2019. But there’s little evidence that the program kept people off the streets.
Another program provided financial assistance to people who were deemed at risk of homelessness, which cost about $12,000 to $20,000 per household. The auditor found this was less expensive than the $30,000 to $50,000 a year that each homeless person costs taxpayers, including public safety and healthcare.
But getting the mentally ill and drug-addicted homeless into treatment and jobs is surely the most cost-effective solution. Progressives oppose the tough love required of both. They prefer pushing more money into housing that doesn’t address the dysfunction of the homeless.
@XfactorLocustMountain3wks3W
"An auditor finds the state’s 30 programs spent $24 billion but failed to reduce homelessness."
The purpose of the $24B was to bleed taxpayers for money to give to NGOs with the understanding they would splash back sizable portions to politicians, their friends, their relatives, and their political campaigns. But only after paying themselves impressive salaries.
Homelessness is an industry, not a problem seeking resolution.
Please. Get real
@UniqueCapitolNo Labels3wks3W
It's called "The Homeless Industrial Complex."
@SugaryLobbyistNo Labels3wks3W
"a new state audit that should embarrass Sacramento"
I believe it is impossible to embarrass most politicians, especially those from California.
@SoreTurtleRepublican3wks3W
If Trump wins, his first public speech should be done in CA if only to expose the dems when they go into a spasmodic rain dance.
They can either sit on their hands and keep their mouths shut or reveal themselves as their brains fall out of their mouths.
@RightRiceGreen3wks3W
"and it is hard to achieve tangible results when there is no accountability for failure."
I once joined a group in my town that was going to seek a grant for fighting gangs. I suggested we set aside some of the grant money to evaluate our progress--to see if what we would be doing was successful. I was immediately voted down. No one cared. That simply wasn't the goal. The goal was to get the money.
A "non-profit" only means it isn't selling stock; it is still a business with a CEO, and he can earn whatever they decide is appropriate. So if they get the grant, they get the money. The reason for the grant runs cover for this.
That's because it is easy to spend other people's money, and it is hard to achieve tangible results when there is no accountability for failure.
Will any California bureaucrat be fired over this gross incompetence?
Only if they misgendered somebody along the way.
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
Do you believe providing homes is enough to solve homelessness, or should there be more focus on underlying issues such as mental health and addiction?
@9LH2CB83wks3W
I think it is more important to focus on mental and addictions because if they still are the same whatever you give them wont help there situation and will end up homeless and stay an addict.
Most homeless people are victims of poor mental health and/or drug addiction, we should kill the starter of this problem. Some one with poor mental issues and/or abuse drugs are not going to be able to keep a stable job that provides enough for them to live. If we can help that person they have a better chance.
@ISIDEWITH3wks3W
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