Governor Gavin Newsom is promoting a $6 billion measure to tackle the growing homelessness and mental health crisis in California.
Proposition 1 will include modernizing the Mental Health Services Act and Assembly Bill 531, along with a $6.38 billion bond to build new mental health housing and substance abuse treatment centers across California.
“We can’t continue to do what we’ve done,” Newsom said at a Wednesday conference. “You’ll get what we’ve got.”
The campaign was launched alongside state law enforcement, first responders and lawmakers.
“People are willing to come off the street, but you have to address why they are unhoused to begin with,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The proposition would allocate money to hiring more mental health professionals and provide funding to build more than 11,150 new behavioral health beds and housing and 26,700 outpatient treatment slots, filling “critical needs across the state for homeless Californians with severe behavioral health issues, to kids suffering from depression, and everyone in between.”
“What we see now, it’s not working,” said Brian Rice from the California Professional Firefighters union.
Rice said firefighters are often the first responders dealing with L.A.’s growing homeless crisis.
“When you see people in the street covered in urine or feces and they’re dirty and pacing or talking or screaming at each other, at anybody, at a wall — we’re so immune to it,” Rice said. “What you’re witnessing is human pain and suffering. These are human beings. We have to stop stepping over, stepping around and avoiding this problem.”
Newsom said the proposition would not raise taxes but would instead be funded by a $6.38 billion bond.
Counties would receive $1 billion per year for housing and related treatment for the homeless community.
Newsom also claims the proposition would pay for itself in the long run by relieving the average of $100,000 spent per inmate in L.A. County jails.
Some opponents against the measure said diverting from the Mental Health Services Act for housing could result in cuts to existing mental health programs such as outpatient care and crisis response.
Californians will have the chance to vote on the ballot in March 2024.