Resources For Fighting Homeless Disappearing

There are more than 130 thousand homeless people living in California. The state would like to reduce that number to zero.

Sharon Rapport with the Corporation for Supportive Housing says communities are successfully addressing homelessness in innovative ways. But she says federal budget cuts, and the elimination of state affordable housing funds, are hindering their efforts.

“As a result of these devastating cuts, many communities are reporting increases in homelessness in 2013,” she said, “despite sometimes heroic efforts to engage private partners and collaborate across systems at the local level.”

Lawmakers at the hearing expressed frustration more progress hasn’t been made. They said they’d act on legislation next year that would increase resources.