End Homelessness

"Everywhere you look, homelessness is getting worse in California – increasing by double-digits in the last ten years in California despite homelessness decreasing nationally," says Carl DeMaio, Chairman of Reform California.

While 25% of homeless are economically displaced, roughly 75% of chronic homeless individuals have mental health and/or substance abuse problems.

"While we can do better at helping economically displaced persons, we will never address homelessness until we abandon California's failed policy called 'Housing First,'" says DeMaio.

Under the controversial “Housing First” policy, politicians have committed billions of OUR tax dollars to their campaign-contributing developers for “government-subsidized” housing programs that cost taxpayers up to $900,000 per unit! What’s worse, as these expensive taxpayer-funded housing units are doled out to homeless people, we are not allowed to insist that the homeless actually get help and undergo treatment to fix the root cases of their dependency. In fact, any homeless provider that insists on drug-free, clean and sober, and sane program rules is prohibited from getting ANY taxpayer funds for their programs under “Housing First.”

It’s time for change. That’s where our “People First” Plan to Solve Homelessness comes in! Here’s what it requires:

• Fully enforce ALL LAWS related to loitering, pan-handling, indecency, violence, theft, vagrancy and trespassing in public right-of-ways. Use law enforcement as the stick to get homeless people into the treatment programs they require to fix the root causes of their homelessness.
• Prioritize transitional housing units for those that are economically displaced, particularly families. By getting these people economically back on their feet again, we can get them off the streets quicker.
• For individuals with substance abuse or mental health problems, commit to provide them with a warm and safe shelter bed — and three meals a day provided that they comply with rules for clean, sane, and sober living.
• Ramp up substance abuse and mental health counseling programs to ensure every homeless person who needs these services can get these services.
• Require every homeless person who receives taxpayer assistance to join a work detail in their community to pick up trash and perform public service.

We need tough-love to solve the homeless crisis in California. We cannot build our way out of this problem – we MUST transform the lives of each homeless person.  Our philosophy must not be “Housing First” it must be “People First.”

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! Carl DeMaio and Reform California are leading a campaign with a two-track strategy on homelessness in California.

Strategy 1: Oppose ALL tax hike proposals and Housing First projects.

We’re sick and tired of throwing good money after bad – so we must cut off the money supply to the politicians and demand change.

Strategy 2: Place the “People First” Plan to Solve Homelessness on the ballot locally and statewide.

We will work with each city and county to place our homeless plan on the ballot in their jurisdiction to require local elected officials to follow the “People First” approach to homelessness rather than the failed “Housing First” approach.