Homelessness Surges, Newsom Vetoes Oversight, Crazy Amount of Taxpayer Money Missing

California’s Gov. Gavin Newsom once again rejected proposals to increase oversight on homelessness spending after the state lost track of a staggering $24 billion.

The Democratic governor vetoed two bills aimed at introducing more transparency and accountability to how the state handles funds intended to combat homelessness. This latest move has sparked fierce criticism from Republican lawmakers, who argue that California’s homeless crisis is worsening despite massive spending, as reported by the Washington Examiner.

One of the bills Newsom vetoed, AB 2903, was introduced by Republican Assemblyman Josh Hoover. The legislation would have mandated that state agencies responsible for homelessness programs submit annual reports to the California Interagency Council on Homelessness and disclose their findings publicly.

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The idea was simple: increase transparency so taxpayers could see how their money was being spent. However, Newsom waved it off, claiming that similar measures were already in place and pointing to Assembly Bill 799, which he had recently signed, as a more “cost-effective” solution.

Hoover wasn’t buying it. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he slammed the governor’s decision, stating that California wouldn’t solve its homelessness crisis “until we get serious about accountability.” He argued that Newsom was doubling down on his failed strategies and noted that despite billions in taxpayer dollars being thrown at the problem, the state’s homeless population continued to grow.

Governor Newsom is doubling down on his failed response to homelessness. Our state has spent billions of taxpayer dollars in recent years only to see the homeless population increase statewide. We will not solve this crisis until we get serious about accountability. https://t.co/r1jqt8Z8nT

— Josh Hoover (@joshua_hoover) September 26, 2024

This isn’t the first time Newsom has vetoed such measures. Earlier this year, he blocked another accountability bill authored by Republican Assemblyman Joe Patterson. Patterson’s AB 2570, like Hoover’s bill, had widespread bipartisan support, and he didn’t mince words when reacting to Newsom’s latest veto. Patterson took to social media, calling out the governor and asking, “Why doesn’t Newsom want more accountability in homeless spending?”

In addition to this veto here of @joshua_hoover’s bill, Governor Newsom also vetoed a bipartisan bill of mine aimed at bringing more transparency and daylight to homeless spending of a specific program. Why doesn’t Newsom want more accountability in homeless spending? 🤔 https://t.co/1QgbSVzbRN

— Joe Patterson (@Patterdude) September 26, 2024

Both Hoover and Patterson highlighted the findings of a report from the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, which revealed that the state had lost track of nearly $24 billion in funds between 2018 and 2023.

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Worse still, officials admitted that they had no concrete data on where this money went or how effective the programs had been. Yet, instead of embracing more oversight, Newsom’s administration argued that implementing transparency would require more money—an idea Republicans found absurd given the billions already lost.

Meanwhile, the state’s homeless crisis is spiraling. California has seen a 30% increase in its homeless population over the past few years. Over one-third of all homeless people in the U.S. live in the Golden State, and half of the nation’s unsheltered population can be found there.

Adding another layer to the ongoing battle, the Supreme Court’s June decision granted states more authority to ban public camping, giving cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Oakland the ability to take more drastic measures against homeless encampments. Despite Newsom celebrating this ruling, critics argue that his refusal to accept more accountability will only hinder meaningful progress.