Calif. Governor Gavin Newsom plans to request a measure to issue a $3B bond to fund the construction of mental health treatment centers.
Newsom wants to divert $1B annually from an existing tax on people earning at least $1M to fund mental health, drug addiction services, and struggles associated with homelessness.
Economic factors, including skyrocketing rent prices, scarcity of affordable housing, and tepid wage gains for lower-income workers, contribute to the growing problem.
- Newsom aims to integrate services for homeless residents who are also mentally ill, citing it as the state's most acute challenge.
- The proposal comes as California faces leaner times with a projected $22.5B budget deficit.
- Homelessness is a top concern for voters who have previously approved measures to address the situation.
California may ask voters to approve billions of dollars in spending to address homelessness, whose population has swelled to roughly 171,510 people.
