Our Plan
We know what works to end homelessness. Now we need our leaders to commit to our bold solutions, and invest in them at scale.
The Problem
The Golden State has long been embodied by the California Dream: a home, a good job, and a safe place to raise a family or make your place in the world. As a result, we are the world’s fifth largest economy and are home to some of the world’s biggest companies and wealthiest people. But Californians are also familiar with the ways in which that Dream has turned into a nightmare. Over 160,000 Californias are homeless on any given night. The failure of our leaders to address this humanitarian crisis has led to untold human suffering and trauma for our unhoused neighbors.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We know what works to end homelessness, we just have to have the political courage to act. That’s why Bring California Home supports budget and policy advocacy to fully fund community-based strategies that would, alongside local and federal resources, reverse the cycle of homelessness in California.
The Plan
Only housing ends homelessness – and despite recent historic investments, California has continued to fall short on the type and level of investment that solving this crisis will require. Bring California Home collaborates with legislative leaders to advance evidence-based housing and services solutions to ensure that everyone has a safe, affordable, accessible place to live.
Learn more about our current and historic advocacy below.
2023-2024 Legislative Session
Bring California Home joins the League of Cities, and the California State Association of Counties in calling on the state to dedicate ongoing funding to homelessness starting in the 2023-2024 budget, including at least $2B ongoing for the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention Program. To read more about the joint budget request spanning housing justice priorities including HHAP, read the letter here.
In addition to funding advocacy, Bring California Home partners also came together to propose comprehensive and equity-driven legislation – AB 799 authored by Assemblymember Luz Rivas – to address the need for accountability at all levels of government to spend public dollars in alignment with proven strategies to end homelessness. To learn more about AB 799, read the fact sheet here.
2021-2022 Legislative Session
In the first year of the 2021 Legislative session Bring California Home championed Assemblymember Luz Rivas’ AB 71, which called for California to annually invest $2.4 billion in new funding in solutions for homelessness. This dedicated revenue would come from a combination of closing tax loopholes on major corporations, and ensuring the wealthiest corporations pay their fair share — especially as corporate profits soar, while more and more Californians face homelessness every day.
Some funding would go to non-profit organizations to create more housing affordable for people experiencing homelessness and households with low incomes. Other funding would go to cities, counties and homeless continuums of care to invest in innovative models and housing solutions, tailored to the needs of each community. It would support previous state investments, like the successful Homekey program, by funding ongoing costs to operate these projects and fund services for people who need them.