Governor Newsom announces stronger accountability measures, launches new tool measuring local progress in tackling homelessness

Stronger accountability

Today, Governor Newsom is announcing additional accountability measures for communities that receive state funding. The announcement comes alongside new Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) funding to support local homelessness efforts, tied to performance benchmarks and the ability for the state to withhold funding allocations if local communities do not make progress. The funding also comes with flexibility for communities that need to modify their plans in the case of natural disasters, such as the recent Los Angeles area firestorms.

More results

Communities that receive awards through the newest round of HHAP funding must adhere to increased accountability, transparency, and compliance measures. These include an increased focus on resolving encampments, requirements that recipients have a compliant housing element to obtain future funding, and requirements that grantees obligate and expend past awards before receiving new funds. These strengthened measures will better ensure real, measurable results and will improve the tracking of data and outcomes. 

As part of the proposed 2025-2026 budget, the Governor has called for even stronger accountability measures as a condition on any additional state funding, including requirements that grantees have and maintain a compliant housing element, prioritization for communities designated as “pro-housing,” and mechanisms to claw back funding from local governments that fail to demonstrate progress.

Find out how your community is doing 

Today’s announcement comes alongside the debut of a new online tool accountability.ca.gov, which brings together thousands of locally reported data points to provide an accurate picture of local communities’ work to address homelessness, create housing, and create behavioral health supports.  The new accountability tool will allow Californians to quickly and clearly assess the progress being made by their local governments on these pressing issues, and learn more about the process and funding provided to communities by the state.

Funding for local governments 

Today, the state is announcing awards of roughly $160 million and the availability of $760 million in new funding for communities — providing local communities with additional funding to:

• Address encampments: The state is providing local governments with $118.7 million in Encampment Resolution Funding to support 14 projects that will move people out of encampments and into shelters and housing. Of this funding, Los Angeles is receiving three separate awards totaling $56.4 million to address three encampments near I-10, Hollywood Boulevard, and the LA River. 
• Create new shelter and support: Additionally, the state is announcing the release of nearly $42 million of additional HHAP Round 5 funding for five regions as well as the availability of more than $760 million for HHAP Round 6. Key priorities for HHAP Round 6 include preserving, developing, and supporting permanent housing solutions; ensuring interim housing and outreach services have sustainable funding structures; aligning funding with strong regional partnerships that make notable progress on homelessness solutions; and ensuring meaningful engagement with tribal governments and people with lived experience of homelessness.