Governance Failure
Homelessness Crisis
$24 Billion Spent. Homelessness Up 24%.
$24B
Total Spent
since 2019
187,084
Homeless Population
+35,806 people
13%
Success Rate
exit to housing
44%
Return Rate
back to streets
California spent $24 billion on homelessness programs since 2019—equivalent to $670,000 per additional homeless person. Despite peak spending of $7.2 billion in a single year (FY 2021-22), the homeless population grew from 151,278 to 187,084. State auditors found only 13% of people placed in interim housing ever exited to permanent housing, while 44% returned to homelessness.
Source: CA State Auditor & LAO