Prop. 1: Californians split on ballot measure to tackle homelessness crisis

SAN FRANCISCO -- California voters were divided successful aboriginal returns implicit a statewide ballot measurement touted by Gov. Gavin Newsom arsenic a indispensable measurement to tackle the state's ongoing homelessness crisis.

Proposition 1 would beryllium the archetypal large update to the state's intelligence wellness strategy successful 20 years. The measurement needs a elemental bulk ballot to pass. It was excessively aboriginal to telephone Tuesday night, and it could instrumentality days earlier the last results are tallied.

Newsom spent important clip and wealth campaigning connected the measure's behalf, raising much than $13 cardinal to beforehand it with the enactment of instrumentality enforcement, archetypal responders, hospitals and mayors of large cities. Opponents raised conscionable $1,000. He did not marque immoderate statements Tuesday arsenic votes were counted.

"The presumption quo is not acceptable," Newsom said Monday astatine a last run stop.

The Democratic politician says the proposition is needed to code the state's homelessness situation by boosting investments successful lodging and substance usage programs, but societal providers interest it would endanger programs that are keeping radical from becoming stateless successful the archetypal place.

Republican Darlene Farnum, a retired salesperson from the Southern California suburban metropolis of Fountain Valley, said Tuesday she voted for the proposition adjacent though it was backed by Newsom, idiosyncratic she said she disagrees with connected conscionable astir everything else.

"We request to bash thing too letting radical dice and beryllium homeless," she said.

Brian Frey, a programmer who lives successful Sacramento, besides voted for the proposition and said the contented is idiosyncratic to him.

"My member is really homeless. He's suffering from immoderate intelligence wellness issues close now," Frey said. "I deliberation it'd beryllium bully to supply backing for attraction centers."

The measurement would restrict however counties usage wealth from a voter-approved taxation enacted successful 2004 connected millionaires that presently is earmarked for intelligence wellness services nether wide guidelines. Revenue from the tax, present betwixt $2 cardinal and $3 cardinal a year, provides astir one-third of the state's full intelligence wellness budget.

Counties would beryllium required to walk astir two-thirds of those funds connected lodging and programs for stateless radical with superior intelligence illnesses oregon substance maltreatment problems.

Newsom wants to springiness the authorities much power implicit however that wealth is spent, but critics accidental it would use 1 look to each counties careless of the size of the section stateless colonisation and could pit programs for children against those for stateless people.

Proposition 1 besides would authorize the authorities to get $6.38 cardinal to physique 4,350 lodging units, fractional of which would beryllium reserved for veterans, and adhd 6,800 intelligence wellness and addiction attraction beds.

In an effort to guarantee accurate, broad tallies, counting ballots successful California has go a weekslong play that, successful adjacent contests, tin alteration Election Day into an predetermination month. Mail ballots postmarked by Tuesday tin get wrong 7 days and are inactive valid. The dense reliance connected message ballots - each elector receives 1 - besides results successful an extended tally, since each indispensable beryllium opened, validated and processed.

Homelessness has go 1 of the astir frustrating issues successful California and 1 definite to canine Newsom should helium ever equine a nationalist campaign. The authorities accounts for astir a 3rd of the stateless colonisation successful the United States; astir 181,000 Californians are successful request of housing. The state, with a existent inventory of 5,500 beds, needs immoderate 8,000 much units to dainty intelligence wellness and addiction issues.

Newsom's medication already has spent astatine slightest $22 cardinal connected assorted programs to code the crisis, including $3.5 cardinal to person rundown motels into stateless housing. California is besides giving retired $2 cardinal successful grants to physique much attraction facilities.

The proposition is touted arsenic the last portion successful Newsom's program to betterment California's intelligence wellness system. He has already pushed for laws that marque it easier to unit radical with behavioral wellness issues into treatment.