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Inyo Supervisor Calls for Lasting Solutions to Homelessness Crisis

SACRAMENTO, CA – Inyo County Supervisor Jeff Griffiths is among those on the frontlines of the battle between counties and the state as California’s homelessness crisis surges throughout rural and urban communities alike. Attempting to steer the debate away from finger-pointing and toward lasting change, Griffiths is helping to put a spotlight on the need for defined roles, shared responsibility, and sustainable funding in the effort to end homelessness.

Griffiths, who also serves as the president of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), helped CSAC roll out its “AT HOME” Plan last week in the wake of Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Budget Revise, which notably does not include additional funding for homelessness initiatives. According to CSAC, counties and cities “are in lockstep” calling on the state to fund the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program fully and permanently.

“For years, the state has thrown one-time money at this problem without any real strategy,” Griffiths said. “Our AT HOME proposal is credible, comprehensive, and directly addresses the state-imposed barriers to reducing homelessness. It’s time to act.”

As described by CSAC, the pilot program offers solutions to what counties see as the two fundamental, state-imposed barriers to addressing the crisis: no clear responsibilities for each level of government in state law; and the state’s one-year-at-a-time approach to fighting one of this era’s most intractable problems.

“What we need are clearly delineated responsibilitiesresponsibilities of which level of government is responsible for which part of solving the homeless issue, and then we need sustained funding,” Griffiths said.

According to CSAC, the proposal would enact a proof-of-concept pilot in counties and cities with strong existing working relationships who will agree to clear responsibilities at each level of government, and focus on streamlining the development process for shelter, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing projects.

As support for the AT HOME pilot mounts, Griffiths has also been busy defending counties from Governor Newsom’s criticism. Newsom has argued that cities and counties are not doing enough to address the issue, especially when it comes to encampments, despite the state providing local governments $27 billion to combat homelessness. Griffiths was quick to point out that almost half of that funding went to housing and not directly to homelessness services on the street. He said that removing encampments without providing individuals services or anywhere else to go does nothing but relocate the problem from neighborhood to neighborhood.