One example: a 2013 law designed toincrease infill developmentin green zones, which Elliott said could potentially allow for millions of housing units to be built. As soon as applicants sign a pledge to submit more ambitious targets and try harder in their plans for the next $1 billion grant the final round of flexible local homelessness funding approved in the 2021 budget the state will start cutting checks for this round, according to Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff. Jason Elliott Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. Im not going to take anybodys vote for granted, but I think with my caucus, and I think this is a bipartisan issue, everybody agrees that we need more tools in the toolbox in order to reach those who so desperately need our help.. Certainly there have been outbreaks on Skid Row, certainly there have been outbreaks in some of the homeless facilities in the Tenderloin in San Francisco. Californians worry about economy, Dahle concedes to Newsom | The So theres something about continuity that underpinned how we moved forward through those next few days. Yes, it has. panel discussion hosted by Capitol Weekly, to encourage local governments to end exclusionary zoning, struggled to get tenants and landlords to enroll, $12 billion in the governors budget proposal, largely responsible for ballooning home prices. To fundamentally alter the reality that we see on the streets requires us fundamentally altering our approach. Elliott was joined on the virtual panel, moderated by CalMatters, by Jennifer Svec, legislative advocate for the California Association of Realtors; Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a Democrat from the East Bay; and Adam Fowler, research director at Beacon Economics, all of whom agreed that a supply shortage waslargely responsible for ballooning home prices. We have the wrong reflex around housing in the state. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, runs point on homelessness for the governor. She previously covered startups and venture capital for the Bay Area News Group and prior to that court cases for The Recorder in San Francisco. Prior to joining CalEPA, Christine served as Assistant Director for Policy Development at the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), where she previously served as Deputy Director for Legislative Affairs. No cost estimate for the plan has been released, but Newsom has pledged to spend up to $14 billion on solutions to Californias homelessness crisis over the next several years. Q: How did the impact of the pandemic, and the response, differ in the states two regions with the worst homelessness crises the Bay Area, and Los Angeles? 3. But you dont practice for that. Updated Aug. 9, 202\2 Want to see more stories like this? We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Were putting out more homeless housing through this program than we probably do in several years under normal circumstances. Please contact CalMatters with any commentary questions: commentary@calmatters.org. More than three dozen organizations and individuals, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Disability Rights California and the Western Center on Law and Poverty, signed an April 12 opposition letter raising serious concerns with Assembly Bill 2830, one of two nearly identical measures moving through the Legislature to implement Newsoms Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court. Within hours, Lee died -- and Elliot had to step up to help keep the city running. Are sale-leasebacks still a viable option? Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. He highlighted $12 billion in the governors budget proposal for housing and homelessness and $1.75 billion to kick-start building on more than 6,000 of backlogged affordable housing units. S.F.'s Toiletgate: Newsom calls $1.7 million bathroom a waste, halts Health | We practice for terrorism. A: California struggles and has struggled for decades to provide adequate housing for people experiencing homelessness. Workforce development for those skilled trades is going to be so essential.. %PDF-1.7 % But we can never let ourselves be stopped by feeling like were not making an impact. The second program,Homekey, created 6,000 units of long-term homeless housing in less than six months, by giving cities and counties the money to purchase hotels and other buildings, and expediting the permitting process. With a proposed budget of $4.3 million, the unit would hold cities feet to the fire when they break existing housing law, and help them take advantage of laws already in place that streamline regulations and permits. And it was one of the hardest days and some of the hardest weeks of my life, and I hope will be the hardest weeks of my life. Some policy bills face a key deadline next week, but Elliott declined to comment on specific bills, including Senate Bill 9, which would allow homeowners to put a duplex on single-family lots or split them. In the Bay Area, the median home price soared to an all-time high of $1.3 million and the statewide median home price broke $800,000 last month. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Sign up for our daily newsletter. Elliott, a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University, has been with Newsom for years, working for him when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco and lieutenant governor. In LA they proposed more Homekey projects than we were able to fund. During a panel discussion hosted by Capitol Weekly on Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsoms top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. DeBoo joined. Thats goal number one.. During apanel discussion hosted by Capitol Weeklyon Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsoms top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. Thats goal number one.. Turning money into beds takes years in my experience, Bell said, adding that there will be this gap period where the $1.5 billion has not translated into thousands of new beds.. Learn more about how we use cookies in our cookie policy. Housing | Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? Protect your nonprofit, nonpartisan state news. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. He hasnt had a day off in months. Marisa Kendall is a housing reporter for the Bay Area News Group who covers homelessness for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases, How California used COVID-19 to create housing;, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), How California used COVID-19 to create housing; a top Newsom adviser weighs in, Pasadena to terminate local COVID-19 orders this month, LA County reports 14 COVID-related deaths, 1,300-plus cases on Friday, As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution, UCLA nurses want end to COVID-era overcrowding in hospital halls and rooms, LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases. Its a part of the population that has been suffering and languishing for so long, many of whom have been on the streets for literally years and years and some decades and at great peril to themselves, Sherin said. Timing is also a key decision for Newsom. hb````` Gavin Newsom has repeatedly made housing affordability a top priority of his administration. Secretly, he still does. But its a start, and more than California has done in a long time. Not every participant would need to be homeless to qualify, but the Newsom administration expects CARE Court could help thousands of people who have spent years living without a home, as well as those cycling in and out of jails and hospitals. CARE Court is meant to target the 10,000 to 12,000 people dealing with schizophrenia and psychosis who may qualify for the program, said Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to Newsom. g 8 endstream endobj startxref 0 %%EOF 55 0 obj <>stream 4. With a proposed budget of $4.3 million, the unit would hold cities feet to the fire when they break existing housing law, and help them take advantage of laws already in place that streamline regulations and permits. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,008. Theyre just exhausted, Newsom said during the KQED interview. Gavin Newsoms gubernatorial campaign. UCLA nurses want end to COVID-era overcrowding in hospital halls and rooms Clear out encampments, and at the same time connect people with housing and services. Yes, it has. Gavin Newsom's proposal to send people another round of government checks, . In high school and for part of college, Elliott dreamed of becoming a journalist. Gavin Newsom. Returning money to California taxpayers may aid state budget Housing | The transcript below was edited for brevity and clarity: Marisa Lagos: You step into these huge shoes, and then about six months later Mayor Ed Lee suddenly dies in the middle of the night. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to. And its not something you ever picture doing. As a result, the state has announced it will simplify the process toget more money out the door faster. And they argued the plan relies on a variety of concepts that are not clearly defined in the proposed legislation or in California law, which will result in confusion and inconsistent application of CARE Courts across the state. Housing | Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor, will move into the deputy chief of staff role. We need people to enroll. Project Roomkey has sheltered more than 35,000 homeless Californians in hotels and motels throughout the state, giving people over 65 or with medical conditions a safer place to ride out the pandemic. "California is responding to a crisis," tweeted Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor for housing and homelessness. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly made housing affordability a top priority of his administration. A moratorium until the end of time that doesnt provide a sufficient benefit to get people to enroll, Elliott said, trailing off. NettieSabelhaus, 71, of Sacramento,has been appointedSpecial Advisor on Public Safety. Mayoral candidate and Councilman Kevin de Len wants the city to withdraw from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. View Jason Elliott's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. The Newsom administration says the excess land plan will help offset shelter costs for cities and counties at least, those willing to seek the help. Some other highlights from the discussion: On home prices, Svec refrained from calling Californias housing market a bubble. She expects the housing market will remain much more stable this time around than after the 2008 foreclosure crisis, and doesnt expect prices to drop anytime soon. Governor helps clear San Diego homeless encampment to highlight pilot State Sen. Susan Eggman, a Stockton Democrat and one of the authors of SB 1338, said she would modify the bill to address certain concerns before then, but on some issues, were just going to have to agree to disagree., It is a work in progress, she said. Sending Gas Money to California Taxpayers May Aid State Budget Q: Has Project Roomkey achieved everything you hoped it would? Jason Elliott: So for me, nobody takes a job of chief of staff thinking youre going to be the one who has to call the president of the Board of Supervisors at 1 in the morning. Newsom Alisa Hartz Brittiany Bearden Deputy Legal Affairs Kelli Evans Secretary Morgan Carvajal Luis Larios Special Assistant to Jay Jefferson Deputy Secretary & Some other highlights from the discussion: On home prices, Svec refrained from calling Californias housing market a bubble. She expects the housing market will remain much more stable this time around than after the 2008 foreclosure crisis, and doesnt expect prices to drop anytime soon. Elliott is leaving City Hall to work for Newsom's gubernatorial campaign. The state has struggled to get tenants and landlords to enroll in existing benefits. They say that's because the state doesn't build housing in . Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. So what of the slew of housing bills at the state Capitol? Graham Knaus, executive director of the California State Assn. 3. Newsom proposes plan to help homeless Californians with severe psychiatric, substance abuse and addiction issues get into housing and treatment. Lagos: So you spent the last couple months helping London Breeds administration get settled. Before that, she worked for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf on her re-election campaign and managed the successful campaign of Shanell Williams forBoard of Trustees at City College of San Francisco. Tell me about that transition and sort of what your role has been. So what of the slew of housing bills at the state Capitol? But it takes time to build capacity, said Phebe Bell, behavioral health director for Nevada County and the president of the County Behavioral Health Directors Assn. The state hasstruggled to get tenants and landlords to enrollin existing benefits. Through Project Roomkey, we increased the amount of shelter available in California by 50%, effectively overnight. Jason Elliott's Phone . This is not going to end homelessness, Kushel said. Opposition mounts against Newsom's plan for court-ordered treatment of Some policy bills face a key deadline next week, but Elliott declined to comment on specific bills, includingSenate Bill 9,which would allow homeowners to put a duplex on single-family lots or split them. So I hopped in my car, drove over to Mather where OES is, and went into a conference room where the governor, Ann and a few others were, and sort of started at that point to realize how fundamentally this was going to change everything. Hes the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. Q: As a result of Homekey, the state has added more than 6,000 new long-term housing units in less than six months. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Project Roomkey was a public health emergency response to a once-in-a-century pandemic. Lets start with yes, unless theres a reason not to build.. Prior to that, she held roles as Appointments Director for the Senate Rules Committee, Deputy Director of the Center for CaliforniaStudies at California State University, Sacramento, Director of the Senate Fellows Program, Chief of Staff to Senator Barry Keene, consultant to Assembly Majority Consultants, legislative aide to U.S. Have it become a fundamental part of addressing homelessness in California. Hannah Wiley is a politics reporter for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau covering the California Capitol and state agencies. We started with a lot of ideas. Lawmakers similarly expect answers to these questions before Newsom submits a formal proposal to the Legislature. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. This is a part-time position and does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation $81,897. With this $1.75 billion (the governor proposed spending $1.75 billion on homeless housing, including $750 million to continue Homekey) we want to create this momentum behind Homekey and not have it be a one-time thing. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. And in this case, Homekey works. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,008. But the bill may face a major hurdle once its heard in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Through Project Roomkey, we increased the amount of shelter available in California by 50%, effectively overnight. "x|.gpr9w5+9VD34[1d3 k=D.$Y+P&@H)1IPv&cN}`r=(s6hYp4r>]dV>:pvV5R"F-"0%4X=?>RYQ;:h]"{A'`MW;J And through really deliberative debate and discussion, we started to land on the idea of using hotels. His sister is deputy chief of staff for the mayor of New Orleans and his cousin, who he grew up with, was chief of staff for the mayor of Portland. A governors signature does not build new units, he said. Instead, the governor plans to increase . Program to buy hotels for homeless people could get another influx of And that was not its intention. But its a start, and more than California has done in a long time. I believe it is crucial to invest in a free, just and unbiased press, especially in California when all three aspects are in peril. We started with a lot of ideas. Hes the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. Homekey was able to produce 6,000 units in six months, at a third of the cost, in about a fifth of the amount of time it typically takes. Were putting out more homeless housing through this program than we probably do in several years under normal circumstances. SonyaLogman, 30,of Antelope, has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Swide is a Democrat. And if the question is has it worked, I think unequivocally the answer is yes. ', San Diego Gun Store Owner Sentenced in Firearms Sales Case Involving Ex-Deputy, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Housing | Gov. View Jason Elliott's business profile as Senior Counselor On Housing at Newsom. and we're trying to keep up and make sure that we can keep up with protecting Californians," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior adviser. So our responsibility now as a state is to continue to put fuel in the tank of this solution. China dismisses FBI statement that COVID-19 likely leaked from Wuhan lab The big takeaway: California is millions of housing units short, and cities hold the key. We are not batting 1,000. From 2006 to 2010, she served four administrations in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The state must invest in permanent affordable housing options in addition to building interim units such as tiny homes and hotel rooms, she said. The program would be voluntary and include assistance from both a public defender and a so-called supporter, a person who would serve as a personal guide through the recovery process. Jason Elliott had been chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for only about six months when he got the call last December that Lee was in the hospital. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Its just not something you ever want to do. But its the money needed to run CARE Court that concerns local officials. Our message to LA and the Bay Area and to everyone is: Project Roomkey is here and funded at least through September of this year, with 100% of the cost borne by the federal government. Elliott has worked in government his whole career, and he met his wife in Gavin Newsoms administration, when Newsom was mayor of San Francisco. Hebegan his careerat the State Capitolas a legislativeaide to State Senator FranPavley. Under the proposal, family members, behavioral health care providers and first responders, among others, could petition a civil judge to initiate a CARE plan for eligible individuals who lack medical decision-making capacity. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters By CALmatters | Logman is a Democrat. One example: a 2013 law designed to increase infill development in green zones, which Elliott said could potentially allow for millions of housing units to be built. You cant bid high enough on labor to get the folks you need so its kind of a moot point for the foreseeable future, he said. At the heart of Gov. 'The Country Is Watching': California Homeless Crisis Looms as Gov Mayors of some of the states most populous cities have endorsed the plan as a way to alleviate a humanitarian crisis in full display on their streets. LA County reports 14 COVID-related deaths, 1,300-plus cases on Friday Housing | Jason Elliott - Deputy Chief of Staff - Office of California Governor The policy differences? In response, Fowler agreed that California, like the rest of the country, faces a severe shortage of labor, union or otherwise. But with so many other cost drivers such as skyrocketing lumber prices wages arent the problem. Gavin Newsom helps clean a homeless encampment alongside a freeway in San Diego. Is it the only thing we have to do to solve homelessness? Read More. And at that point, we were modeling a 56% attack rate for the virus, meaning that we expected 56% of Californians would get coronavirus at some point during the outbreak. How California used COVID-19 to create housing; a top Newsom adviser Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? CARE Court is intended to be a voluntary program, and each plan would come with a public defender and a personal advocate as part of a client-centered approach. Oakland airport passenger traffic shows steady post-COVID rebound We believe the answer is yes, and we are in the process now of doing some program evaluation to be able to back that up with data. The Bay Area has pulled together in a very interesting way and focused very much on prevention and stability, which is really good. We start with no. Los Angeles, Calmes: Heres what we should do about Marjorie Taylor Greene, David Lindley, guitarist best known for work with Jackson Browne, dies at 78, ICE detainees allege retaliation for speaking about medical conditions at Otay Mesa center, Downtown L.A stabbing sends six to hospital; suspect arrested, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit from its insurance company, K-Pop isnt the only hot ticket in Koreatown how trot is captivating immigrants, Los Angeles is suddenly awash in waterfalls. We are adding judges and attorneys into the mix in hopes of better connecting unhoused individuals with housing and medical care, but nothing else really changes, she said. Gavin Newsom, Elliott serves as the governors top housing and homelessness adviser. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. And in this case, Homekey works. CalMatters is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Californian essential, nonpartisan information. Despite new state law, Antioch ends remote option for council meetings Has it protected 35,000 homeless Californians? And making sure as the city was grieving, as we personally were grieving, that people getting up the next morning could go and get on Muni, and if they called 911 that the police would show up, and if they wanted to go to the park, that the park would be open. Two Democrats have already introduced a bill that parallels the governors proposal. We start with no. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Elliott sidestepped another question, about whether the administration would seek to extend the statewide eviction moratorium, which is set to end June 30, as the state doubles its rent relief funds with an additional $2.6 billion from the federal government. Its a new day, new paradigm, and we are looking forward to getting something big done.. Castillo said the anti-poverty group will remain opposed to the CARE Court framework unless lawmakers address the concerns outlined in the letter, especially the plans failure to address access to housing and its insistence on empowering judges to mandate care.