MARISA KENDALL/CalMatters

CalMatters
First-of-its kind court order halts sweep of California homeless camp
A federal judge last month stopped the city from dismantling the makeshift shelter of 64-year-old Evelyn Alfred, which she erected nearly two years ago on an empty strip of land next to a residential neighborhood. The ruling proves that, even as more cities in California crack down on encampments wi
March 5
They were arrested for sleeping outside while homeless. Now, these Californians are headed to trial
Wickey Twohands woke up early on the day he was scheduled to go on trial for sleeping outside.

First, he dropped off all his possessions — a bedroll, blankets, clothes and some food — at a friend’s house for safekeeping.
February 26
Should ‘aiding’ or ‘abetting’ a homeless camp be illegal? It might soon be a reality in this city
The East Bay city of Fremont is set to vote on a new ordinance that would make it illegal to camp on any street or sidewalk, in any park or on any other public property.
February 4
Busing people out of homelessness: How California’s relocation programs really work
But while San Francisco has gotten an outsized amount of attention for putting its busing program at the forefront of its homelessness strategy, other California cities and nonprofits continue to quietly send small numbers of unhoused people all over the country. At least one new program is set to l
November 26, 2024
LA County voters face huge decision on homeless services funding
Measure A would repeal an existing quarter-cent sales tax and replace it with a half-cent sales tax, slightly increasing what consumers pay for everything from clothes to sporting equipment. If it passes, it’s expected to raise more than $1 billion a year for shelters, housing and other services in
October 8, 2024
Late payments to nonprofits hamper California’s fight against homelessness
Nonprofits that provide everything from shelter beds, to counseling for homeless residents, to affordable housing, say they regularly are kept waiting weeks, if not months, for the city, county and state funding they rely on. That means they’re struggling to pay their employees, make rent payments f
October 1, 2024
Audit: California risked millions in homelessness funds due to poor anti-fraud protections
The audit released Tuesday analyzed California’s Department of Housing and Community Development, which oversees the state’s homelessness programs. It gave the California agency its lowest possible ranking, finding that it lacked adequate policies to prevent, detect and respond to fraud. As a result
August 7, 2024
Audit: California risked millions in homelessness funds due to poor anti-fraud protections
The audit released Tuesday analyzed California’s Department of Housing and Community Development, which oversees the state’s homelessness programs. It gave the California agency its lowest possible ranking, finding that it lacked adequate policies to prevent, detect and respond to fraud. As a result
August 7, 2024
Can California’s health care providers help solve the state’s homelessness crisis?
Health care company Akido Labs, which runs clinics and street medicine teams in Southern and Central California, covered about 10% of the cost to build that 16-unit project in Bakersfield. Health insurance giant Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is funding homeless housing projects in Alameda, Kings and
July 11, 2024
How shots instead of pills could change California’s homeless crisis
Street doctors in California are using injectable medication as an increasingly common tool to help combat the state’s intertwined homelessness and mental health crises.
June 4, 2024