You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. The governor also has political incentives to quickly install CARE Courts. The second program,Homekey, created 6,000 units of long-term homeless housing in less than six months, by giving cities and counties the money to purchase hotels and other buildings, and expediting the permitting process. As a result, the state has announced it will simplify the process to get more money out the door faster. Support for Capitol Weekly is Provided by: Jason Elliot. Yes, it has. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters. And through really deliberative debate and discussion, we started to land on the idea of using hotels. "Sometimes people return to the streets, sometimes they return to . We are not batting 1,000. Getting cities and counties to say yes to housing is a long battle in California. Elliott sidestepped another question, about whether the administration would seek to extend the statewide eviction moratorium, which is set to end June 30, as the state doubles its rent relief funds with an additional $2.6 billion from the federal government. UCLA nurses want end to COVID-era overcrowding in hospital halls and rooms 3. Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this, Elliott said. Are we doing much better than previous models? A moratorium until the end of time that doesnt provide a sufficient benefit to get people to enroll, Elliott said, trailing off. How California used COVID to create housing. Housing policy advocates described Newsom's stated goal of 3.5 million new homes in four years the same way he has: aspirational. Our message to LA and the Bay Area and to everyone is: Project Roomkey is here and funded at least through September of this year, with 100% of the cost borne by the federal government. With this $1.75 billion (the governor proposed spending $1.75 billion on homeless housing, including $750 million to continue Homekey) we want to create this momentum behind Homekey and not have it be a one-time thing. Hebegan his careerat the State Capitolas a legislativeaide to State Senator FranPavley. In LA they proposed more Homekey projects than we were able to fund. Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. Opinion: Newsoms budget cuts threaten public health investment This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $166,404. Secretly, he still does. In the Bay Area, the median home price soared to an all-time high of $1.3 million and the statewide median home price broke $800,000 last month. Our message to LA and the Bay Area and to everyone is: Project Roomkey is here and funded at least through September of this year, with 100% of the cost borne by the federal government. A moratorium until the end of time that doesnt provide a sufficient benefit to get people to enroll, Elliott said, trailing off. Most recently, she served as Director of Scheduling and Advancefor Governor-elect Newsoms Transition and the Newsom for Governor campaign. Hopefully were starting to see more economic recovery coming out of COVID, although I do think its going to be a very uneven recovery, she said. That was the challenge we were facing. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Newsom touts response to homelessness in State of the State - CapRadio Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. Has it become a model for the rest of the country? We start with no. As health officials scrambled last March with shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of COVID-19, Jason Elliott wastacklinganother seemingly overwhelming problem: How do we keep the more than 100,000 Californians sleeping on our streets from dying of the virus? Theyre just exhausted, Newsom said during the KQED interview. Gavin Newsom. The state must invest in permanent affordable housing options in addition to building interim units such as tiny homes and hotel rooms, she said. Program to buy hotels for homeless people could get another influx of Stay up to date on the news you need to know. And they argued the plan relies on a variety of concepts that are not clearly defined in the proposed legislation or in California law, which will result in confusion and inconsistent application of CARE Courts across the state. The program would allow family members, behavioral health providers and first responders to ask civil court judges to order a clinical evaluation and, if necessary, implement a plan for a person in need. A: California struggles and has struggled for decades to provide adequate housing for people experiencing homelessness. His biggest challenges as we go to press are housing, homelessness and mental health care, issues that have dominated the states discussions this year, so he has his work cut out for him. Emily Swide, 25, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director of Schedulingfor the Governor. Q: What percent of Project Roomkey clients have exited to permanent housing? He highlighted $12 billion in the governors budget proposal for housing and homelessness and $1.75 billion to kick-start building on more than 6,000 of backlogged affordable housing units. One idea: expanding motel conversions, an emergency plan during the pandemic. I have sympathy for local leaders in Los Angeles and I have sympathy for the residents of Los Angeles because even sheltering as many people as they did through Project Roomkey, and providing as many new units as they did through Homekey, the order of magnitude of the challenge is so large in LA that it almost feels like you can never make progress. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. S.F.'s Toiletgate: Newsom calls $1.7 million bathroom a waste, halts Elliott: I think the most challenging part was trying to take the mayors staff and key department heads and insulate them from the political turmoil that was happening inside City Hall and around the city. He said the governor would generally support any move to change the default to yes on more housing. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. So wed really like to see communities not only continue the portfolio that they have under Project Roomkey, but potentially expand it, and expand it significantly. And it was one of the hardest days and some of the hardest weeks of my life, and I hope will be the hardest weeks of my life. A:I dont want to leave your readers with the impression that Project Roomkey is going to once and for all solve homelessness in California, because its not. Its a new day, new paradigm, and we are looking forward to getting something big done.. Housing | Gavin Newsom Age: 37 Born: New York City, but grew up in Palo Alto Current home: Sacramento Family: Lives with his wife and their 15-month-old. By clicking subscribe, you agree to theTerms. So our responsibility now as a state is to continue to put fuel in the tank of this solution. Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this, Elliott said. Project Roomkey was a public health emergency response to a once-in-a-century pandemic. A lot of smaller cities are not just making this San Francisco and Oaklands problem. And then the high risk factor you apply to that population. Do the best you can -- what Ed Lee would want us to do is to run the city as professionally as we possibly can. Concerns about rising crime and the homelessness crisis emerged as the top issues driving voter dissatisfaction with Gov. I think everyone thinks this is the year to really get things done, she said. Titles are always hard to figure out in the Newsom administration, and nowhere is that truer than with Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to the governor. You cant bid high enough on labor to get the folks you need so its kind of a moot point for the foreseeable future, he said. Gov. And it aimed to protect some of the most vulnerable Californians from a disease that we didnt know anything about. "The whole. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. Project Roomkey was a public health emergency response to a once-in-a-century pandemic. Our behavioral health system is stretched very thin.. The transcript below was edited for brevity and clarity: Marisa Lagos: You step into these huge shoes, and then about six months later Mayor Ed Lee suddenly dies in the middle of the night. Project Roomkey has sheltered more than 35,000 homeless Californians in hotels and motels throughout the state, giving people over 65 or with medical conditions a safer place to ride out the pandemic. Katie Talbot, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), said the idea would need to go through the policy committee process.. Sign up below, then look for a confirmation email in your inbox. Gavin Newsom's proposal to send people another round of government checks, . No, of course not. We start with no. Q: What percent of Project Roomkey clients have exited to permanent housing? Erin Mellon, Newsom's communications director, confirmed the moves to The Sacramento Bee. Despite new state law, Antioch ends remote option for council meetings . SonyaLogman, 30,of Antelope, has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. We have 108,000 unsheltered homeless people in California. For all we knew, this was going to happen in a matter of weeks. Jason Elliott, 36, of Sacramento, is now serving as senior counselor to the Governor for housing and homelessness in the Office of the Governor, where he has served as chief deputy cabinet secretary. Housing | All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Sign up for The Roundup, But he welcomed the proposal as a move in the right direction to prioritize resources for Californias most vulnerable residents, even if the initiative involves growing pains.. Gov. The answer is yes. Clear out encampments, and at the same time connect people with housing and services. CA mental health advocates criticize CARE Court homeless plan | The Read More. Newsoms administration believes that 7,000 to 12,000 people could qualify for the court-ordered care, a fraction of the estimated 161,000 people experiencing homelessness in California. He comes from a family committed to public service. We won't use your email for any other purpose, and you can opt out at any time via an unsubscribe link. He highlighted$12 billion in the governors budget proposalfor housing and homelessness and $1.75 billion to kick-start building on more than 6,000 of backlogged affordable housing units. Yes, it has. "We knew that a proposal this consequential, a proposal that aims to change the status quo so deeply, wasn't going to be received unanimously, wasn't going to be received with everyone clapping and cheering . YL 8u8JpC Senator Alan Cranston, research assistant for the International Union of Radio, Electric and Machine Operators, AFL-CIO, and research aide to the National Sharecroppers Fund. Certainly there have been outbreaks on Skid Row, certainly there have been outbreaks in some of the homeless facilities in the Tenderloin in San Francisco. Callahan is a Democrat. We knew that a proposal this consequential, a proposal that aims to change the status quo so deeply, wasnt going to be received unanimously, wasnt going to be received with everyone clapping and cheering, Elliott said. 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Gov. State Sen. Susan Eggman, a Stockton Democrat and one of the authors of SB 1338, said she would modify the bill to address certain concerns before then, but on some issues, were just going to have to agree to disagree., It is a work in progress, she said. So wed really like to see communities not only continue the portfolio that they have under Project Roomkey, but potentially expand it, and expand it significantly. Some policy bills face a key deadline next week, but Elliott declined to comment on specific bills, includingSenate Bill 9,which would allow homeowners to put a duplex on single-family lots or split them. Newsom calls for spending $12 billion more to end homelessness in California. Are we doing much better than previous models? A: Thats a great question and I wish I had a more straightforward answer for you. I will be reviewing the legislation very closely and recommending any amendments necessary to ensure that CARE Courts can truly help those most in need, while not unduly limiting their constitutionally guaranteed rights, he wrote. "We knew that a proposal this consequential, a . But we can never let ourselves be stopped by feeling like were not making an impact. As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution We want to move, and we want to move quickly, Newsom said during a recent interview on KQED. Two Democrats have already introduced a bill that parallels the governors proposal. Has it protected 35,000 homeless Californians? This interview has been edited for length and clarity. He also emphasized that just as important as passing new legislation is implementing laws already on the books. Hes also been a chief deputy cabinet secretary, director of intergovernmental affairs, senior adviser, and more. After announcing the broad framework of his CARE Court plan, the real work begins for Gov. So theres something about continuity that underpinned how we moved forward through those next few days. But nowhere near the levels that I mentioned to you a moment ago we were fearing would come to pass. I think its going to disproportionately impact low-income communities, Black and brown communities, so making sure people use the benefit I think is key.. Prior to working for Governor Brown,he served as a legislative consultant to State Senator Mark Leno, working on criminal justice issues, as well as privacy and technology. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to. Hironakahas most recently served as Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). Before that, she worked for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf on her re-election campaign and managed the successful campaign of Shanell Williams forBoard of Trustees at City College of San Francisco. Q: How did the impact of the pandemic, and the response, differ in the states two regions with the worst homelessness crises the Bay Area, and Los Angeles? Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, said the governor's "hope and expectation is that this will be going out in short order." However, he added that the ball was in the court of . Updated Aug. 9, 202\2 Want to see more stories like this? Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to. Instead, the governor plans to increase . Seeman is a Democrat. Jason Elliott, Newsom's top housing advisor, said it is up to the legislative leaders to determine the mechanism for implementation, but requested urgency to codify the law by July 1. Has it become a model for the rest of the country? Newsom also attached accountability measures to the program, including sanctions for local governments that dont comply with program requirements and diverting people into stricter conservatorships or letting their paused criminal cases continue if they fail to meet their CARE plan obligations. No, of course not. %PDF-1.7 % No, we shouldnt build there, Elliott said. Newsom dissed local applicants for seeming too complacent about a dire California problem, while the applicants retorted that the Newsom administration sent conflicting signals and that in any case, state lawmakers had inadvertently given them a financial motive to lowball their goals. The mayor of San Francisco cannot possibly be involved in every decision that gets made across our 60 departments, from the airport to the zoo. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, runs point on homelessness for the governor. This is not going to end homelessness, Kushel said. Within hours, Lee died -- and Elliot had to step up to help keep the city running. Tell me about that transition and sort of what your role has been. Castillo said the anti-poverty group will remain opposed to the CARE Court framework unless lawmakers address the concerns outlined in the letter, especially the plans failure to address access to housing and its insistence on empowering judges to mandate care. As senior counselor to Gov. (Liz Hafalia / San Francisco Chronicle) By Liam Dillon Staff Writer Dec. 21, 2020 1:23 PM PT During his 2018 campaign for. Despite the urgency, the number of people who would likely benefit from the initiative is limited. Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? The groups often have significant sway among liberal legislative Democrats, the kind of influence that could hinder Newsoms hopes for a new law to be in place by July 1. On the eviction moratorium, Wicks said she was working closely with Assemblymember David Chius office to make sure tenants are protected but landlords receive missed back rent. So, Im gonna miss the troubleshooting with departments and mayor staff. Three S.F. Mayors in Less Than 3 Months: Jason Elliott's Exit - KQED Elliott said that the governor remains committed to the principles of housing first and that CARE Court would be one of many ways a person could access shelter. ChristineHironaka, 31, of San Francisco, has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Can Newsom build on pandemic lessons to end homelessness? Richard was also Legislative Director for Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi and served as a Legislative Consultant for the California State Senate Insurance and Budget and Fiscal Review Committees. Contact. They cant take whats happening in encampments and tents.. "Before we can reach our stretch goals, before you can reach the moon, you've got to get off the launch pad," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor on housing and homelessness. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly made housing affordability a top priority of his administration. Workforce development for those skilled trades is going to be so essential.. But we can never let ourselves be stopped by feeling like were not making an impact. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly made housing affordability a top priority of his administration. Her stories focus on So I hopped in my car, drove over to Mather where OES is, and went into a conference room where the governor, Ann and a few others were, and sort of started at that point to realize how fundamentally this was going to change everything. "Local government has a responsibility to put their hands up and be part of the solution," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor on housing and homelessness. Homekey was able to produce 6,000 units in six months, at a third of the cost, in about a fifth of the amount of time it typically takes. As soon as applicants sign a pledge to submit more ambitious targets and try harder in their plans for the next $1 billion grant the final round of flexible local homelessness funding approved in the 2021 budget the state will start cutting checks for this round, according to Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff. Newsom touted the CARE Court framework last month as an innovative strategy to guide an estimated 7,000 to 12,000 people into housing and much-needed treatment. Because for every person you bring inside, thats a person who has a sister whos worried about her. Have it become a fundamental part of addressing homelessness in California. Los Angeles, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; suspect arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls. Jason Elliott, Newsom's top housing and homelessness advisor, said Monday that the administration expected some opposition to the proposal. "California is responding to a crisis," tweeted Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor for housing and homelessness. So I hopped in my car, drove over to Mather where OES is, and went into a conference room where the governor, Ann and a few others were, and sort of started at that point to realize how fundamentally this was going to change everything. Gavin Newsom unveiled a far-reaching effort to push more people into court-ordered treatment for severe mental illness and addiction, homeless advocates are calling it legally misguided and immoral as the proposals first public hearing at the state Capitol has been delayed.