California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to deploy the National Guard to construct 1,200 tiny homes across Sacramento, San Jose, San Diego, and Los Angeles, in an effort to provide shelter for a fraction of the state’s roughly 170,000 homeless population.
The project, costing $30 million, aims to offer alternative options for people living on the streets and sidewalks in terrible conditions.
The homes, which can be as small as 120 square feet and take 90 minutes to build, will be erected on public land for people living in encampments along roads and rivers.
The four cities involved in the project will choose the homes’ locations and will be responsible for upkeep.
The Republican state Senate Leader Brian Jones criticized the proposal, calling it a “Band-Aid” for a crisis that is out of control.
GOP Assemblyman Josh Hoover also expressed his skepticism, saying he did not believe the homes would make a significant impact on the homelessness issue.
California is home to around one-third of the nation’s homeless population, with the number growing much faster than in other states.
The four cities involved in the project have been allotted different numbers of homes, with Los Angeles receiving the most at 500, Sacramento getting 350, San Jose receiving 200, and San Diego allotted 150.
Governor Newsom has previously signed off on $22.3 billion in funding for new housing and homelessness since taking office.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office reports that despite this funding, the homeless population in California has continued to grow, with 170,000 people living on the streets in 2022.
Newsom hopes that the new plan will reduce the number of homeless people by 15% by 2025.
Despite the criticism, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg welcomed the plan as a crucial investment in tackling the homelessness crisis.
»National Guard to Build Tiny Homes for Homeless in California«
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