Homelessness

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ELECTION 2024 – California’s ballot measures could worsen homelessness

ELECTION 2024 California’s ballot measures could worsen homelessness John Seiler | October 31, 2024 On Nov. 5, voters in California cities can make the housing and homeless crises better – or worse. Alas, most likely the latter. They likely will pass the vast majority of local sales tax increases, school ...
Blog

‘An idea so bad, Seattle hasn’t done it’

“Homelessness isn’t an identity,” said a full-page ad in the Aug. 25 issue of the Spokane’s Spokesman-Review newspaper. “Tell the City Council to VOTE NO on making their hardship a protected class.” The ad, sponsored by the Washington Business Properties Association, included contact info for the Spokane City Council, which ...
California

Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA

Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises

Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
Blog

Read the latest on California's homeless crisis

Is drop in Sacramento homelessness a fluke or trend?

Officials reported a 29% decrease in overall homelessness in 2024 compared to 2022. But this coincides with a change in methodology in how people were counted, as well as a discrepancy between the count and what local nonprofits are finding on the ground. And one year does not make a ...
Book

New PRI ‘Left Coast Survivor’s Guide’ Aims to Help Americans Stop ‘The California Way’ From Spreading Coast to Coast

SACRAMENTO – With California’s Kamala Harris being inspired by what Gov. Gavin Newsom calls “The California Way,” nonpartisan California free-market think tank the Pacific Research Institute today released The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide, a new book giving Americans the facts and knowhow needed to stop bad California ideas from ...
Blog

Court frees cities to deal with their homelessness crises

Court frees cities to deal with their homelessness crises By Steven Greenhut  |  August 16, 2024 SACRAMENTO – During a recent trip to Grants Pass, Ore., I took a photo of the city’s iconic downtown sign stating, “It’s the Climate” and then posted it on social media as I often do with ...
California

The Grants Pass Decision on Homelessness: An Inside Look

    This week’s podcast is a special presentation of our recent webinar following the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, moderated by Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut. Go inside the historic decision with Theane Evangelis, partner with Gibson Dunn who represented Grants Pass before the ...
California

Erica Sandberg – San Francisco’s Homeless Crisis

Gov. Newsom recently ordered homeless encampments on property under the state’s jurisdiction to be cleared due to the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision that ruled that it is not cruel and unusual punishment to forbid people from camping on public property. This podcast is an audio version of Free Cities ...
Blog

Read the latest on California's homeless crisis

Newsom’s Veto a Strange Way to Show Support for “Transparency and Accountability”

Assembly Bill 2570, by Asm. Joe Patterson, R-Rocklin, would have required state officials to prepare an annual audit  evaluating the effectiveness of the state’s primary homeless grant program – the Homeless, Housing, Assistance and Prevention program. The bill would require the audit to be included in an annual report department ...
California

Read the latest on Project Homekey

Disregard the spin. Project Roomkey is failing

In a blatant attempt to rewrite history, Gov. Gavin Newsom claims that Project Roomkey was a great success, which provides important lessons for other states. The only lesson other states should take from the governor’s program is what not to do. To facilitate this revision, research firm Abt Global was contracted ...
Blog

ELECTION 2024 – California’s ballot measures could worsen homelessness

ELECTION 2024 California’s ballot measures could worsen homelessness John Seiler | October 31, 2024 On Nov. 5, voters in California cities can make the housing and homeless crises better – or worse. Alas, most likely the latter. They likely will pass the vast majority of local sales tax increases, school ...
Blog

‘An idea so bad, Seattle hasn’t done it’

“Homelessness isn’t an identity,” said a full-page ad in the Aug. 25 issue of the Spokane’s Spokesman-Review newspaper. “Tell the City Council to VOTE NO on making their hardship a protected class.” The ad, sponsored by the Washington Business Properties Association, included contact info for the Spokane City Council, which ...
California

Learn about the problems with LA's Measure ULA

Yet another example of a tax that didn’t live up to its promises

Measure ULA, approved by nearly 58% of the voters, initially imposed a 4% “mansion tax” on the sales of any homes or commercial properties valued at more than $5 million. The rate jumped to 5.5% on sales above $10 million. The thresholds increased to $5.15 million and $10.3 million on ...
Blog

Read the latest on California's homeless crisis

Is drop in Sacramento homelessness a fluke or trend?

Officials reported a 29% decrease in overall homelessness in 2024 compared to 2022. But this coincides with a change in methodology in how people were counted, as well as a discrepancy between the count and what local nonprofits are finding on the ground. And one year does not make a ...
Book

New PRI ‘Left Coast Survivor’s Guide’ Aims to Help Americans Stop ‘The California Way’ From Spreading Coast to Coast

SACRAMENTO – With California’s Kamala Harris being inspired by what Gov. Gavin Newsom calls “The California Way,” nonpartisan California free-market think tank the Pacific Research Institute today released The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide, a new book giving Americans the facts and knowhow needed to stop bad California ideas from ...
Blog

Court frees cities to deal with their homelessness crises

Court frees cities to deal with their homelessness crises By Steven Greenhut  |  August 16, 2024 SACRAMENTO – During a recent trip to Grants Pass, Ore., I took a photo of the city’s iconic downtown sign stating, “It’s the Climate” and then posted it on social media as I often do with ...
California

The Grants Pass Decision on Homelessness: An Inside Look

    This week’s podcast is a special presentation of our recent webinar following the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, moderated by Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut. Go inside the historic decision with Theane Evangelis, partner with Gibson Dunn who represented Grants Pass before the ...
California

Erica Sandberg – San Francisco’s Homeless Crisis

Gov. Newsom recently ordered homeless encampments on property under the state’s jurisdiction to be cleared due to the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision that ruled that it is not cruel and unusual punishment to forbid people from camping on public property. This podcast is an audio version of Free Cities ...
Blog

Read the latest on California's homeless crisis

Newsom’s Veto a Strange Way to Show Support for “Transparency and Accountability”

Assembly Bill 2570, by Asm. Joe Patterson, R-Rocklin, would have required state officials to prepare an annual audit  evaluating the effectiveness of the state’s primary homeless grant program – the Homeless, Housing, Assistance and Prevention program. The bill would require the audit to be included in an annual report department ...
California

Read the latest on Project Homekey

Disregard the spin. Project Roomkey is failing

In a blatant attempt to rewrite history, Gov. Gavin Newsom claims that Project Roomkey was a great success, which provides important lessons for other states. The only lesson other states should take from the governor’s program is what not to do. To facilitate this revision, research firm Abt Global was contracted ...
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