‘What planet is he living on?’ California Gov Gavin Newsom trolled for touting state as ‘national model’ for tackling homelessness

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom has become a subject of mockery after claiming that California serves as a "national model" for addressing homelessness.

The 56-year-old Democrat made these remarks while announcing a substantial $3.3 billion fund aimed at combating homelessness across the state, which includes a mental health initiative he strongly advocated for.

Gavin Newsom focuses on Proposition 1

During a press conference on May 14, Governor Newsom highlighted the state's efforts, particularly citing a 30 percent decline in veteran homelessness over the past 12 years. “The state of California saw a decline in veteran’s homelessness,” he stated. “We have a national model.”

However, this assertion has been met with skepticism given the broader context of California's homelessness crisis. A 2023 federal report indicates that California is home to 28 percent of the nation’s total unhoused population, marking a 40 percent increase from five years ago, as reported by CalMatters.

Newsom's press conference also focused on Proposition 1, a significant component of his homelessness initiative. Proposition 1, passed in a narrowly contested statewide vote, aims to expand access to mental health treatment plans for behavioral and substance abuse issues, while also providing housing for individuals at risk of homelessness, including veterans.

The measure mandates that two-thirds of the funds from a 2004 tax on millionaires be allocated exclusively to mental health services.

"What Proposition 1 did is that it reinforced that model, provided more resources to advance that model, and we're very excited to get those dollars to work," Newsom said.

Despite Newsom raising over $13 million to promote the proposition, compared to just $1,000 raised by opponents, the measure passed by a razor-thin margin—50.2 percent to 49.8 percent. This tight vote highlights the divisiveness of the bill in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1, NPR reported.

Governor Newsom emphasized that Proposition 1 represents a transformative shift in California’s approach to homelessness. He pointed out that prior to this initiative, the state had no cohesive strategy or plan to tackle the issue.

“Five years ago, there was no homeless strategy, no homeless plan,” Newsom remarked. “The state of California was not involved in these issues. To be fair, there was a half-a-billion appropriation that went out to the cities and counties with no accountability, no oversight, and no measured results—that was the first time the state put in a few bucks.”

Newsom argued that previous mental health legislation, while well-intentioned, was outdated and ineffective in addressing current realities. “We had a mental health services act... but it outlived the world we’re living in,” he said, referring to the state’s earlier mental health bill.

“We were listless, and it was pretty self-evident. The cities and counties were overwhelmed by what was happening on the streets and sidewalks. We said, we need to do more as a state. The cities and counties cannot do this alone... It’s about more than just money, it’s about resourcefulness, it’s about doing things that we were precluded from doing," he added.

Despite Newsom’s optimistic framing, there is quite a dissonance between his claims and the stark reality of California's homelessness statistics.

For instance, Los Angeles, which has the highest number of homeless individuals of any US city, saw its homeless population rise by nine percent in 2023, reaching 65,111 people according to a 2023 California Senate report.

The federal report further underscores California’s significant share of the national homeless population, with the state accounting for 49 percent of the nation’s unsheltered homeless individuals.

Overall, from 2007 to 2023, the total number of homeless individuals in California increased by 30.5 percent, with an additional 42,000 people becoming homeless during that period. While veteran homelessness has indeed decreased by 30 percent over the past 20 years, these improvements are overshadowed by the overall escalation in homelessness.

Gavin Newsom faces backlash for calling California a 'national model'

Newsom's declaration of California as a "national model" has drawn sharp rebukes from critics on social media.

"Sure. A model of what NOT to do," one posted on X.

"What planet is he living on?????" another wondered.

"Yes that is if increasing homelessness is the goal," someone else quipped.

"Has he looked around his state much?" a comment read.

"He is just like his Aunt, Nancy Pelosi," another added.

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