The mayors of California’s 13 largest cities are asking for commitment of $1 billion annually to a state homelessness assistance program.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s largest city mayors are urging state leaders to restore funding for a key homelessness program, warning that tens of thousands of residents could lose housing without it.

Big City Mayors — a bipartisan group representing the state’s 13 biggest cities — met with Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state leaders to push for continued investment in the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, known as HHAP.

“When the state invested in this program, our cities have delivered,” said Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, who is chair of the organization.

The program, launched in 2019, has received varying levels of funding over the years, distributed in rounds — starting at $650 million, then $300 million, followed by $1 billion annually for four consecutive years. But amid a state budget deficit, HHAP received no funding in the previous budget and only half of what was promised in the current one.

“These cuts put critical programs and real progress at risk, sending the message that reducing homelessness is no longer the priority for the state,” Lock Dawson said.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said anything less than $1 billion would force cities to scale back services.

“Anything less than a billion dollars really means we will be closing shelters in our respective cities,” Gloria said.

HHAP funding is distributed to local governments, which can utilize funds for emergency shelters, rental assistance programs, permanent housing efforts, as well as mental health and supportive services.

The mayors are asking the state to provide the remaining $500 million from this year’s funding and commit to $1 billion annually moving forward, arguing the investment has led to measurable progress.

According to the group, cities have reduced unsheltered homelessness by 9% statewide, served more than 330,000 people, added nearly 9,000 shelter beds and created nearly 3,000 permanent housing units through the program.

“Without HHAP, that progress disappears. It is as simple as that,” Gloria said.

Newsom, who met with the mayors, pushed back on calls for additional funding, pointing to disputes with local governments over housing laws.

“They’ve never had this kind of investment… I cannot in good conscience provide more funding if you have cities like LA that are violating state law,” Newsom said. “If you don’t build, we’re not going to fund. Period.”

At the center of the disagreement is SB 79, a state law signed by Newsom that allows denser housing near major transit stops. Los Angeles city leaders have opposed the measure, putting the city at odds with the state over control of housing policy.

Newsom continues to push for more local accountability, saying if counties don’t more actively combat homelessness, he will withhold funding. At the beginning of the month, Newsom announced $291 million for additional housing and behavioral health resources in parts of the state. He emphasized more needs to be done, quickly, with CARE Court — the state law aimed at getting unhoused individuals who struggle with mental health and substance abuse into treatment and housing. 

Behavioral health is another major component of the state’s homelessness crisis. ABC10 asked the mayors on the ongoing calls by the state for more local implementation.

To which the mayors emphasized more work needs to be done by the counties, as they’re the local entities responsible for both receiving and allocating that funding.

“It is the counties who are not following through, and we need them to,” Gloria said. 

He also touched on Proposition 1 — which was approved by voters in 2024 and authorized over $6 billion in bonds to expand treatment and housing for those struggling with mental health and addiction.

While the mayors were big advocates and champions of that, the mayors noted, “cities are not permitted to receive those dollars.” And cities like Long Beach, the mayors said, have yet to reap those benefits.

Meantime, the mayors are also calling on candidates running to succeed Newsom to commit to ongoing HHAP funding.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who is also running for governor, said he is the first candidate to support that pledge.

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