P1 1WHEREAS, Homelessness is one of the most pervasive issues
2facing California today; and
3WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of
4Housing and Urban Development, there were 115,738 homeless
5people in California in 2015, by far the most of any state in the
6nation; and
7WHEREAS, Rising rents, rapidly declining numbers of
8low-income housing units, and slow wage growth have all
9contributed to homelessness; and
10WHEREAS, Of the nation’s top ten most expensive rental
11markets, four are located in California; and
12WHEREAS, The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in
13San Francisco is $3,590, in San Jose is $2,290, in Oakland is
14$2,270, and in Los Angeles is $1,970; and
15WHEREAS, San Francisco’s Point-in-Time Homeless Count
16in 2015 identified 7,539 homeless adults and youths, a 7 percent
17increase since 2005; and
18WHEREAS, A report by the San Francisco Budget and
19Legislative Analyst’s Office found that while the initial costs
20associated with housing homeless residents increased when those
21individuals entered supportive housing, the city’s costs were
22reduced drastically as those formerly homeless individuals were
23stabilized; and
P2 1WHEREAS, The County of Los Angeles now has an estimated
246,874 homeless people on any given night, up nearly 6 percent
3from last year, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services
4Authority; and
5WHEREAS, On any given night in Sacramento, more than 2,500
6individuals are without a home, and an estimated 5,200 more will
7become homeless over the course of the next year; and
8WHEREAS, San Diego’s homeless population rose to 8,742 in
92015 from 8,506 in 2014, a 2.8% increase that makes the homeless
10population in San Diego one of the top four in the nation, and
111,100 of that homeless population are veterans; and
12WHEREAS, In 2015, the homeless population in Fresno
13increased for the first time in almost 8 years; and
14WHEREAS, Homelessness has risen to historic levels
15throughout the state, and now is the time for state action; and
16WHEREAS, Being homeless is dangerous, especially for youth,
17in San Francisco, experience a mortality rate more than 10 times
18higher than that of the state’s general youth population; and
19WHEREAS, In March of 2016, the San Francisco Board of
20Supervisors requested Governor Brown to issue a statewide
21declaration of emergency to help coordinate the response and
22resources for homeless individuals and families; and
23WHEREAS, The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors
24unanimously approved an unprecedented plan to address the crisis
25in the county by allocating $100 million in one-time funding for
26homeless services; and
27WHEREAS, The City of Los Angeles has already declared a
28state of emergency as it relates to the lack of shelter for homeless
29in the city; now, therefore, be it
30Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the
31Assembly requests that Governor Brown declare a state of
32emergency on homelessness; and be it further
33Resolved, That the Assembly recognizes that the challenge of
34confronting homelessness requires the active engagement and
35leadership of all arms of government; and be it further
36Resolved, That the Legislature must prioritize taking action on
37homelessness prior to the adjournment of the 2015-16 Regular
38Session of the Legislature; and be it further
P3 1Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
2of this resolution to the Governor for the appropriate distribution.
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