Everyone deserves a home. But even before the COVID-19 crisis that has displaced and impoverished so many, our region was already in the midst of a dire homelessness crisis. There are many reasons why someone might fall into homelessness, and addressing a problem of this magnitude requires innovative solutions at all levels. 

We must combat our homelessness crisis by providing critical services directly to those in need and building permanent affordable housing units now. We need a Housing First policy across the board where supportive services are offered to unhoused individuals to maximize housing stability and prevent returns to homelessness as opposed to addressing predetermined treatment goals prior to providing housing.

Additionally, we need to invest significantly more mental health services for unhoused people and preventing them from living on the streets and reform our criminal justice system to ensure that no one is targeted simply for not having enough resources.
 

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IN SACRAMENTO, REGGIE HAS WORKED TO COMBAT OUR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS BY:

Delivering Critical Resources to Provide Housing to Homeless Individuals

• Supported a 2019 law that invests $900 million in homelessness prevention services and prevents illegitimate appeals to the development of homeless shelters.

• Supported 2020 legislation that would require cities and localities to establish plans to reduce homelessness 90% by 2029 and creates a state office to ensure they meet annual benchmarks.

• Supported a 2016 law that imposes a $75 fee on real estate transaction documents, excluding commercial and residential sales, to provide funding for affordable housing and homelessness.

• Supported a 2015 law that required that any state agency that addresses homelessness to adopt guidelines and regulations to include Housing First policies.

• Supported a 2018 law that streamlined affordable housing projects that include supportive housing units and onsite supportive services.

• Co-authored legislation that would have created a program to provide matching funds to cities to create innovative and immediate solutions to the problems of homelessness.

• Supported a 2020 bill that would have established the California Access to Housing Fund and appropriated $2 billion each year to the Fund to address homelessness.

• Fought to provide $20 million for navigation centers to connect individuals experiencing homelessness to permanent housing in the 2017-18 budget.

• Worked to provide $500 million in 2018 for one-time for Emergency Homeless Aid Block Grants for local governments to respond to homelessness and $650 million in 2019.

• Fought to provide $1.3 billion for Project Home Key and Supportive Housing amid the COVID-19 crisis, which has housed over 14,000 homeless individuals, with Los Angeles alone housing over 3,600.

• Worked to provide $300 million in 2020 to help localities fight homelessness, including $125 million in State Funds for the City of Los Angeles to fight homelessness and $65 million for Los Angeles County.

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Ensuring Everyone Can Access Critical Services

• Supported a 2013 law that clarified there is no minimum age requirement for CalFresh eligibility and provides information and training for unaccompanied homeless children.

• Supported a 2015 law that allows homeless students to remain in their school of origin.

• Supported a 2015 law that gave priority for housing at the UC, CSU and California Community College systems to homeless youth, and ensures that campuses develop plans for housing these students during breaks.

• Supported a 2019 law that added a representative of the California Department of Education (CDE) to the state Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) to ensure that those who work directly with homeless students are given a seat at the table.

• Supported a 2020 bill that would have created the Governor’s Office to End Homelessness

• Ensured that Permitted CalWORKs families receiving a temporary or permanent benefit under the Homeless Assistance Program can receive this benefit annually instead of only once in a lifetime

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Working to end the criminalization of homelessness

• Authored a 2019 bill that would have required the DMV to renew the vehicle registration for individuals experiencing homelessness and participating in a Safe Parking Program operated by a city/county

• Authored a 2019 bill that would have allowed homeless individuals an opportunity to pay back parking and traffic tickets through community service