Audit: California Is Poorly Monitoring Homelessness Spending

California has failed to monitor state spending and evaluate the outcomes of homelessness programs, according to a report issued last week by the California State Auditor’s Office.

California State Auditor Grant Parks urged Governor Gavin Newsom to continue to hold local governments accountable in an open letter dated April 9. The audit highlighted that tracking programs and collecting accurate data could help the state save money.

“The state must do more to assess the cost-effectiveness of its homelessness programs,” Parks said.

The report showed that California spent approximately $20 billion on programs and initiatives addressing homelessness in the past five years. Although state funds were allocated to fund shelters and subsidized rent, homelessness in the state increased by 65 during the last year. In 2021, Gov. Newsom signed a law that required organizations that received state funds to collect data and evaluate the progress of programs they implement.

California auditors revealed that only two out of five action plans were cost-effective. One was Project Homekey, which converted hotels into housing during COVID-19, and CalWORKS, a housing support that offered financial assistance to low-income residents.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressed concern after the report was released.

“The biggest conclusion that the auditors came back with is there’s just inadequate transparency and data and information available,” said Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) in a statement.

Republican Sen. Roger Niello (R-Roseville) said, “These audit results are a wake-up call for a shift towards solutions that prioritize self-sufficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

California Assembly Passes Bill to End Digital Discrimination

On April 10, the California Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee voted to approve Assembly Bill (AB) 2239 after a hearing at the State Capitol.

The bill that aims to close the digital divide for low-income residents in the state.

Authored by Assemblymember Mia Bonta (D-Oakland), the legislation calls for prohibiting internet service providers from implementing policies and practices that have a negative and unequal impact in low-income communities.

The bill, “addresses a critical issue in our digital age, ensuring equitable access to broadband internet services for all Californians,” Bonta said.

This law protects consumers from “digital discrimination of access” that disproportionately affects communities of color. The bill adopted rules from the Federal Communications Commission that defines “digital discrimination of access” as “policies or practices, not justified by genuine issues of technical or economic feasibility, that differentially impact consumers’ access to broadband internet access service based on their income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion, or national origin, or that are intended to have a differential impact.”

Bonta was backed by dozens of community-based organizations that are advocates for digital equity. More than 40 partners of the California Alliance for Digital Equity showed up to support AB 2239 at the hearing.

The bill, however, faced opposition from other community-based organizations. Opponents stated that the legislation would negatively affect small businesses and overlap with anti-discrimination laws that already exist.

Three U.S. Vice Presidential Candidates Are Women From California

As the 2024 election season ramps up, presidential candidates are introducing their running mates.

On April 10, independent presidential candidate Dr. Cornel West announced his campaign running mate is Dr. Melina Abdullah, former chair of the Pan-African Studies Department at California State University in Los Angeles.

West and Abdullah’s have made history as candidates on the first all-Black presidential ticket in American history.

Abdullah is a Howard University graduate and member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She is also a co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles.

Another independent candidate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., selected Nicole Shanahan, an attorney with ties to the technology industry from Oakland to be his running mate. When she was introduced on March 26.

Shanahan said that her primary mission in the Whitehouse would be to support sustainable agriculture. She attributes diseases like autism to harmful agricultural practices.

Finally, Vice President Kamala Harris, who previously served as California Attorney General and Senator, is the vice presidential candidate on President Biden’s ticket for reelection. Harris is an outspoken supporter of reproductive justice, and she has also pushed the administration to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Former President Donald Trump has not yet to name a running mate.