Progress on BAC-Sponsored Homeless Legislation

Major Bay Area Council-sponsored legislation to overhaul how California addresses its homelessness crisis took big steps forward this week. Amendments to SB 16 by Senator Catherine Blakespear were unveiled by the Senator in a CalMatters oped Tuesday that explained why California state and local governments must be held accountable for expanding interim housing and ending unsheltered homelessness. SB 16 is co-sponsored by the Bay Area Council, DignityMoves, San José Mayor Matt Mahan, and the New California Coalition, and is currently in the Assembly Housing Committee.

Another bill, AB 255 by Assemblymember Matt Haney, cleared a crucial vote in the Senate Housing Committee Tuesday (6/24) and is now on its way to the Senate Appropriations Committee. AB 255 amends California’s Housing First law to allow, for the first time, a portion of state homeless dollars to be dedicated to supporting drug-free permanent supportive recovery housing. The bill is co-sponsored by the Bay Area Council, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, and the Salvation Army. The Council’s third co-sponsored homelessness bill of the year, SB 606 (Becker), which requires local governments to plan to achieve functional zero unsheltered homelessness to receive state homeless grants, will be heard in the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development on July 2nd.

To learn more about the Council’s Homelessness Committee, please contact Senior Vice President of Public Policy Adrian Covert and/or RSVP to the Council’s upcoming Homelessness Committee meeting on homelessness policy and the Trump administration.