Sacramento Bee: What’s the Future for HHAP Homelessness Funding? Tomorrow’s Meeting will Help Determine

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Newsom will be meeting Friday (tomorrow) with local leaders to discuss the action plans and a statewide agenda for making progress. It is unclear how long the funding freeze could remain in place or what additional requirements he may impose on localities before restoring the flow of state aid.

Jason Elliott, Newsom’s deputy chief of staff, said the governor’s “hope and expectation is that this will be going out in short order.” However, he added that the ball was in the court of local leaders.

“This is not exclusively a data exercise,” Elliott said in an interview. “We’re eager to hear from them on what they’re doing and what the state can do to help them get there.”

Like most jurisdictions, SLO County can last a few months without the money, according to Dzvonik. But come February or March of 2023, local agencies across the state will be depending on that money to maintain shelter beds, continue offering services and potentially expand such initiatives.

In addition to unleashing the funds currently set aside, Dzvonik and other local leaders plan to advocate for permanent homeless funding from the state.

“I see it as a reasonable thing to do as long as it doesn’t go on,” Dzvonik said about the pause. “It’s an opportunity to bring the whole state together and develop a statewide strategy.”

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