SACRAMENTO – Today, Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-Arleta) and Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) were joined by Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), Mayor Eric Garcetti (D-Los Angeles), Mayor Libby Schaaf (D-Oakland) to unveil Assembly Bill (AB) 71, the Bring California Home Act, which will create for the first time ever, an ongoing state funding source for long-term solutions to homelessness.
AB 71 will generate $2.4 billion annually by closing corporate tax loopholes and restoring historic corporate tax rates to their 1980’s level on corporations with $5 million or more in profits. This ongoing funding source gives local governments desperately needed resources to implement programs and action plans that combat homelessness, while ensuring transparency and strong accountability that holds local governments accountable to ensure every dollar is used effectively.
“One in four Americans experiencing homelessness reside in California. I appreciate the Governor’s proposed budget on homelessness, but it is clear that one-time funding to combat the homeless crisis that is further compounded every year is not working. One time allocations do not allow for our local governments to build and plan programs for multiple years; nor does it allow for coordination between our state departments and agencies with homeless programs to create a coordinated and comprehensive approach for tackling homelessness,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-Arleta). If we don’t create dedicated ongoing funding for homelessness that allows for state and local partnership and coordination, homelessness will only get worse.”
"Solving homelessness is the moral question of our time," said Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco). "This proposal addresses homelessness in a meaningful and thoughtful way with strong accountability requirements."
“Our state’s homelessness crisis will only continue to worsen if we don’t make plans to tackle it on a long-term basis,” said Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland). “One-time funding doesn’t address the systemic and ongoing nature of this issue in California. A consistent funding source is necessary for local governments to build on and maximize the impact of existing programs, and hold them accountable for every dollar spent in the fight against homelessness.”
AB 71 is sponsored by the Bring California Home Coalition including Mayors Eric Garcetti, Libby Schaaf, and Darrell Steinberg; Housing California, Corporation of Supportive Housing, All Home, Brilliant Corners, Episcopal Community Services – San Francisco, HOPICS, John Burton Advocates for Youth, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California, Steinberg Institute, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, etc.
Assemblywoman Luz Rivas proudly represents the 39th Assembly District, which includes the City of Los Angeles communities of Arleta, Lake View Terrace, Granada Hills, Mission Hills, North Hollywood, Pacoima, Sun Valley, Sunland-Tujunga, Sylmar, and the City of San Fernando.
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