Image Credit:
Michael Shellenberger
California’s homeless population has skyrocketed in the past 10 years, even while national homeless numbers have actually dropped. What’s uniquely wrong with California? A viral video may hold the answer.
Last week investigative journalist Michael Shellenberger posted a video of an interview he conducted with a homeless man in San Francisco named James. The now-viral video goes on to explain that James had moved to California from Texas because he heard California politicians make it easy to be homeless by not enforcing laws, letting homeless use and deal drugs, and giving out free money.
“If you’re gonna be homeless, it’s pretty f***ing easy here …. They literally pay you to be homeless here, they pay you!” said James, who receives a $620 general welfare subsidy and $200 in food stamps each month from California politicians. “This right now is literally by choice … why would I wanna pay rent?” he asked.
Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California, says the viral video shows the failure of California’s homeless programs. “In California, we’re throwing good money after bad - we’re literally funding failure and exacerbating the homeless crisis in our state,” DeMaio cautioned.
DeMaio points out that California represents 12% of the US population, but has 48% of the nation’s homeless at approximately 161,548 individuals. Since 2010, homelessness has been on decline in every other state except California, New York, and Massachusetts — implying the nation’s homeless may be seeking out California like James.
DeMaio also explains that studies of homelessness pinpoints the root causes are mental health and addiction problems - which then result in an individual not being able to hold a steady job and therefore not being able to afford housing.
“You can’t solve homelessness by starting with housing - that is merely a symptom - you must start by addressing mental health and substance abuse in these individuals by taking a tough-love approach,” DeMaio explained. DeMaio points to success in other states that have used the stick of law enforcement to force homeless into treatment programs.
Unfortunately, California’s liberal politicians have prohibited law enforcement from enforcing laws regarding panhandling, petty theft, loitering, trespassing, public indecency, and drugs.
These same politicians are using billions in taxpayer funds to give away free housing and welfare benefits to homeless but mandate that social service providers not force or require homeless individuals to receive mental health or substance abuse treatment. Social service providers are even prohibited from imposing drug testing on homeless residents who get free public assistance.
In the viral video, James describes an instance in which he sold fentanyl to 15 year olds and taught them how to do drugs. Fentanyl is lethal at a dose of 2 milligrams — smaller than a penny. He goes on to say that the local police treat him like a “neighbor” and rarely interfere.
“The homeless crisis is a fundamental law and order issue — if you stop enforcing the laws, you will not be able to deal with the homeless — let alone the tragedy of selling fentanyl to 15 year olds,” explained DeMaio. “We are getting all of the nation’s homeless coming to California, because we’re coddling them like we coddle criminals, and we’re tying the hands of law enforcement to enforce existing law,” he continued.
DeMaio says the first step to cleaning up our streets and providing compassionate homeless assistance, which will address root issues, is supporting an initiative to repeal Prop 47.
“Prop 47 ties the hands of law enforcement to enforce existing law and prevents the combating of property and quality-of-life crimes throughout our state,” explains DeMaio, “We have to empower law enforcement to enforce our laws and be the compassionate stick to drive homeless into treatment programs, which will force them to address their mental health and substance abuse issues,” he continued.
In a recent Berkeley/IGS poll, 57% of California voters indicated support for a repeal of Prop 47.
DeMaio and Reform California are working to secure enough signatures by April 26th to qualify a repeal measure for the November 2022 ballot.
“This effort is critical in our fight to make our communities clean and safe again, and it’s the right path forward for truly helping our homeless population recover from their burdens — but we need your help to get this repeal of Prop 47 on the ballot,” said DeMaio. “I’m asking all concerned Californians to support our campaign today to restore public safety and solve the homeless crisis,” he concluded.
Join the Fight: Restore Public Safety to Solve the Homeless Crisis
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