The Riverside City Council’s rejection of a $20.1 million state grant, designated for the conversion of a Quality Inn motel into 114 studio apartments for individuals experiencing homelessness, has prompted scrutiny concerning California’s affordable housing system and the efficacy of local government strategies in addressing the housing crisis.
The National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC) issued a research brief asserting that the Cicero Institute, a conservative policy organization, maintains extensive financial ties to sectors poised to benefit from anti-homeless legislation. The brief’s findings prompt scrutiny regarding the economic incentives underpinning the increasing criminalization of homelessness.
The escalating issue of squatting, attributed to rising housing costs and persistent homelessness, has highlighted significant challenges for property owners. Efforts to remove unauthorized occupants frequently involve protracted civil court proceedings, often resulting in delays spanning six months to two years and potential property damage, according to analyses from organizations such as the Pacific Legal Foundation. Critics argue that the phenomenon underscores systemic deficiencies within housing policy and affordability frameworks.
Assembly Bill 1924, a homelessness prevention measure co-sponsored by Inner City Law Center, secured passage in the California State Assembly with bipartisan support, advancing the legislation to the State Senate.
Assembly Bill 1899, a youth homelessness prevention measure co-sponsored by Inner City Law Center, passed the California State Assembly with bipartisan support and will advance to the state Senate. The legislation seeks to establish California’s first Office of Youth Homelessness Prevention within the California Housing and Homelessness Agency.
California Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a revised 2026-27 budget proposal, which the administration asserts eliminates the state’s structural deficit through 2028 while preserving major investments in healthcare, education, housing, and homelessness programs, despite county leaders’ warnings that the plan compromises local governments’ capacity to sustain critical safety net services.
California county leaders are warning that a proposed federal policy could shift billions in safety net costs onto local governments, threatening health care access, behavioral health systems and other essential services while increasing the risk of homelessness and cuts to local programs.
California’s homelessness crisis is driven by a lack of affordable housing for low-income individuals, and requires a multi-faceted approach to address, including immediate humanitarian relief, individualized intervention, and structural reform.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a legal victory in a lawsuit challenging U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding restrictions on the Continuum of Care grant program, which provides housing resources for families, youth and people with disabilities.
The ACLU of Southern California filed a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department against the Riverside City Council for rejecting a $20.1 million state Homekey+ grant, alleging the decision was based on discriminatory stereotypes and fear-based assumptions about people experiencing homelessness and individuals with disabilities.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced an additional $145.4 million in funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program to eight California regions, expanding the state’s effort to reduce homelessness through housing placements, supportive services and local interventions.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’s Inside Safe program has been ineffective in addressing the city’s homelessness crisis, with 40% of participants returning to the streets, and the city has spent over $300 million on the program without providing long-term solutions.
A federal court ruling has imposed limits on the City of Berkeley’s ability to enforce laws affecting unhoused residents, requiring the city to provide reasonable accommodations and protect tents and vehicles, while also limiting vehicle seizures and protecting unhoused individuals with disabilities.
Santa Clara County’s homelessness prevention program has been successful in reducing the number of people who become homeless, and is being expanded to 10 other communities across the country with the help of Destination: Home.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been criticized for failing to address the state’s rising rents and homelessness crisis, as well as for siding with corporate landlords and opposing rent control measures.
Two years after passing by a slim margin, California’s Proposition 1 has exceeded its goals, expanding treatment capacity and housing resources to overhaul the state’s behavioral health system.
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order protecting 18 residents of the Eighth and Harrison Street encampment in Berkeley from a planned city eviction, halting the demolition of the encampment until a hearing can be held to determine whether the restraining order will be extended.
The Rapid Rehousing program has helped over 9,000 students facing housing insecurity or homelessness since 2020, providing them with emergency housing, rental subsidies, case management and advising.
The City of Berkeley is set to begin evicting individuals from the Harrison Corridor encampment, even as a federal lawsuit alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act remains pending before the court, with a hearing scheduled for March 20, 2026.
California’s spending on homelessness has decreased significantly in recent years, despite evidence that prior investments helped reduce unsheltered homelessness and expand housing placements, according to a new analysis by the California Budget Center.