California Mayors Push For Homeless Bill That Would Allocate $1.5B For Aid
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti traveled to Sacramento Wednesday to meet with mayors from 10 of California's largest cities to voice support for legislation that would allocate $1.5 billion from the state budget to fight homelessness.
"Cities are on the front lines in the fight against homelessness and Los Angeles is already investing billions of dollars to get people off the streets,'' said Garcetti. "But we can't do it alone."
The legislation, AB 3171, is scheduled for its first legislative hearing before the Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee on April 25.
"AB 3171 would give us the state funding we need to get all of our unsheltered into homes as soon as possible," Garcetti said.
Democratic Assemblyman Phil Ting of San Francisco penned the bill, along with co-author, Democratic Sen. Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens.
According to 2017 statewide counts, California's transient population stands at 134,278. In Los Angeles, the homeless population jumped to 34,000, 20 percent higher than the previous year.
"Tens of thousands of people are living on the streets in California cities, creating a humanitarian and public safety crisis that shocks the conscience and diminishes cities' economic vitality," said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg.
"While the state has taken some steps to help," Steinberg said, "cities still lack the resources to make a demonstrable difference."
According to Garcetti's office, the proposed legislation would back permanent housing, rental assistance and triage shelters, as well as other services, ultimately resulting in $3 billion in funding statewide.
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