SACRAMENTO – Senator Scott Wilk, representing the 21st Senate District, announced today that he has introduced Senate Bill 333 (SB 333), a measure to address California’s homeless crisis by requiring the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council (HCFC) to develop and implement a long-term, strategic plan to combat homelessness across the state, complete with specific goals and benchmarks.
“Too many Californians are forced to live in such miserable, inhumane conditions, especially in areas like the high desert with extreme weather conditions,” stated Senator Wilk. “My bill will allow the state to take a significant step forward in ending this crisis and getting our most vulnerable community members back on their feet.”
In 2018, California had 134,000 residents without a home on any given night, according to data provided by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the homeless population has spiked significantly in the past several years.
SB 333 stems from a report released last year by the California State Auditor who, at the request of Wilk and Assemblyman Tom Lackey, investigated California’s statewide efforts to solve this homeless problem and found woeful inadequacies detailed in the scathing report.
“I’m thankful to the Auditor for shedding light on this critical issue and providing a clear and efficient solution,” said Wilk. “It is time that Californians see results from their hard-earned taxpayer dollars. This bill will hold state government accountable in its effort to address homelessness and ensure that not a single cent from the taxpayer goes to waste.”
SB 333 addresses several recommendations from the State Auditor’s report. Specifically, the bill requires the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to develop and implement a statewide, strategic plan to address homelessness in California, including goals and objectives and timelines for achieving them and metrics for measuring their achievements.