Assemblywoman Luz Rivas’ Statement on the Governor’s Budget Proposal to Confront California’s Homelessness Crisis

ARLETA –Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-Arleta) has issued the following statement on Governor Newsom’s $12 billion plan to tackle California’s escalating homelessness crisis:

“I applaud Governor Newsom for his proposal to confront California’s homelessness crisis head on. While two years of funding is a strong first step, we still need to provide our local communities with the long-term security they need to operate critical programs to keep housing insecurity at bay. Additionally, this $12 billion dollar package splits its funding to address multiple policy issues, including solutions to homelessness, housing development, and efforts to clean up and revitalize our streets. All of these investments are critically important, but the proposed funding fails to meet the scale of this crisis.

We should celebrate that we have a legislature and Governor working towards the same goals, but it is far too early to take a victory lap. Homelessness an incredibly complicated policy issue that is not going away just because of two years of investments. While I look forward to working with my colleagues and the Governor in the weeks to come, there is still a lot of work at hand.

Let’s be clear – our homelessness crisis is on the verge of becoming a full-blown catastrophe. Short-term and intermittent budgetary allocations only serve as band-aids for problems that require sustainable funding for the foreseeable future. My ‘Bring California Home Initiative,’ AB 71, is the necessary path forward to create a permanent funding source to combat homelessness by conforming the state to federal taxes on multimillion-dollar international corporations doing business in the state. With up to $1 billion annually, our local governments will get the ongoing support they need to provide the critical services our unhoused community desperately needs.

For several years, I have authored multiple bills addressing homelessness. We know that there are enough homeless children in California to fill LA’s Dodger Stadium almost five times over – that’s simply unacceptable in a state that’s sitting on over $75 billion in surplus, has the world’s fifth largest economy, and has the highest rates of homelessness in the nation. I am committed to do what it takes to get roofs over the heads of our fellow Californians.”

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.