SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KGTV) — California Governor Gavin Newsom is sending millions more in state money to local governments to tackle homelessness. However, the state says this go-around will better track how cities, such as San Diego, spend the money.
The City of San Diego, San Diego County, and the area's Regional Task Force on Homelessness are getting a fifth round of homeless assistance funding. The city is receiving about half of the nearly $59 million the state is allocating to the area. The state requires local governments and agencies that accept the money to upload progress reports online. The reports on the spending would then be posted on the state's Housing Assistance Program website.
Data provided by the state shows this would be the city's largest grant under the Housing Assistance Program, otherwise known as HAP. Based on a point-in-time count, the City of San Diego will receive $29.9 million. The city says it plans to spend $17.4 million, more than half of the grant, on interim housing options. In a February document, the city wrote that it would also spend about 4.5 million on homeless prevention and shelter diversion programs.
A state audit released in April ripped the City of San Diego's handling of previous homelessness funding. It said city officials spent hundreds of millions on homelessness but failed to fully report its funding and spending on homelessness services. Moreover, it said the city also didn't evaluate the effectiveness of the programs it was funding.
Newsom's office says it will do a better job ensuring local governments use and track the money responsibly. The Governor also dished more than $14 million to San Diego County and about $15 million to the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.
San Diego County officials told ABC 10 News Wednesday that it will use the money to continue funding existing county programs, primarily the local rental subsidy program and its Housing Our Youth program. The county says both programs provide supportive services, emergency and permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness.
The San Diego City Council and the San Diego Board of Supervisors both need to vote on the acceptance of the funding, though the vote is likely a formality.
