California has spent $24 billion over the past five years to combat homelessness, but a state audit released on Tuesday found that the crisis has not improved in many cities. The California Interagency Council on Homelessness, responsible for coordinating agencies and allocating resources for homelessness programs, ceased tracking programs’ efficacy in 2021. Despite the significant amount of money spent, the problem persists, with an estimated 171,000 homeless individuals in the state, making up roughly 30% of the total homeless population in the U.S.
The audit revealed that the council stopped tracking spending on programs and their effectiveness in 2021, leading to a lack of consistent evaluation of outcome data for homelessness programs. This has resulted in unreliable data regarding program participants and bed inventory in the state system. The lack of transparency and accountability at every level of government has led to what Democratic state Sen. Dave Cortese described as a “data desert” when it comes to homelessness. The state will continue to lack complete and timely information on the ongoing costs and outcomes of homelessness programs without reliable data.
Republican state Sen. Roger Niello expressed concern over the lack of accountability in California’s approach to homelessness, pointing out that despite the high amount of funds spent, the homeless population is not slowing down. Niello called for a shift towards solutions that prioritize self-sufficiency and cost-effectiveness. The audit assessed five homelessness initiatives in California and found that only two, which convert hotel and motel rooms into housing and provide housing-related support, are likely cost-effective.
The lack of spending plans in major cities such as San Jose and San Diego has hindered effective tracking of revenue and spending on homelessness programs, according to the state auditor’s report. Lawmakers created the California Interagency Council on Homelessness in 2017 to address the state’s homelessness problem, but the council has only reported on spending once. The inability to draw conclusions on the appropriateness of overhead costs and the effectiveness of spending has raised concerns among lawmakers, but there is no call for a halt to future spending on homelessness at this time.
The struggle to address homelessness in California remains a significant challenge, with the state spending billions without clear evidence that the situation is improving. The lack of transparency, accountability, and consistent evaluation of programs have contributed to this ongoing crisis. Lawmakers and officials are faced with the task of reevaluating their approach to tackling homelessness and prioritizing solutions that are cost-effective and aim towards self-sufficiency. The audit serves as a wake-up call for California to reevaluate its strategies in addressing one of the most pressing issues facing the state.
