“Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Comeback Plan is the single most significant investment in housing in California’s history. With $9.3B proposed for housing and over $12B for the unhoused, we support a focus on financing shovel-ready affordable homes so that they can begin construction immediately, along with the substantial investment to end family homelessness. The backlog of permit-ready-but-unfunded affordable housing communities is more than $3B deep, and the proposed $1.75B is a welcome move to clear the current waiting list for state funding.
“MidPen Housing is ready to go to work, ensuring these investments will generate significant impact. Given the depth of the waitlist for funding, we ask to increase to the full $3B in recognition of California’s severe underproduction of deeply affordable homes. We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to address the Bay Area’s urgent need for affordable housing and services.
“We also commend the Administration for many proposals in the budget to better align and coordinate services within the CA Health and Human Services Agency with the state’s affordable housing programs. This is an effort we have long considered to be a key ingredient to serving the State’s most vulnerable renters.
“We celebrate the alignments proposed on a one-time basis. At the same time, we foresee the need for ongoing investment, such as the AB 71 (Rivas) proposal to dedicate a permanent source of funding and collaboration on a statewide strategy for solving homelessness.”
