Gov. Newsom celebrates big slowing in the growth of homelessness: “We are turning the tide on homelessness”
California – Governor Gavin Newsom is pointing to new signs of hope in California’s fight against homelessness. He emphasizes recent statistics that shows real progress in several major areas of the state. The announcement shows that things are starting to change after years of concern about the growing number of homeless people. It additionally demonstrates that local efforts to stop the crisis are starting to work.
Preliminary 2025 point-in-time reports from important areas show that California is seeing a big slowing in the growth of homelessness, especially when compared to national trends. In 2024, the number of people who were without a roof over their heads went up by about 7% across the country. In California, however, the increase was only 0.45%. New information from big cities and counties shows that this trend is still going strong, and in some places, it is even getting worse.
“No one in our nation should be without a place to call home. I am proud of the work we are doing together to reverse this decades-old crisis. Together, we are turning the tide on homelessness, but we have more work to do. We have a moral obligation to assist every single Californian in need and that means ensuring that everyone has a roof over their head,” Gov. Newsom said.
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Southern California had some of the most promising outcomes. There was a 3.9% drop in unsheltered homelessness in San Diego, while the overall number of homeless people in the city went down by 13.5%. The number of people living on the streets in Riverside County fell by an even higher 19%.
The Los Angeles area, which has long been thought to be the core of California’s homelessness crisis, recorded a second year of reductions. The county is likely to confirm that the number of people who are homeless without a place to stay has gone down by 9.5% and the total number of homeless people has gone down by 4%. Los Angeles likewise said that their numbers were going down, with total homelessness down 3.4% and unsheltered homelessness down 7.9%.
Other regional systems called “continuums of care” also said they had made a lot of progress. The number of homeless people in San Bernardino County dropped by 10.2%, and the number of homeless people in San Diego County dropped by 7%. The Bakersfield area, which is smaller, also saw a tiny drop of 2.3%.
These benefits are a change from what was happening before. Before Newsom took office, California’s unsheltered population grew by about 37,000 individuals between 2014 and 2019. Since he took office in 2019, the governor has advocated for reforms to the system, more money for cities and counties, and accountability at all levels of government.
By 2024, California’s overall rise in homelessness had reduced to only 3%, which was less than what was witnessed in 40 other states. In fact, the state had the biggest drop in veteran homelessness in the country and made real headway in lowering adolescent homelessness.
The Governor’s office says that the change is due to a combination of new measures, such as changes to the way state government works, more mental health services, and record amounts of money spent on housing and support services. Even while there are still problems, the most recent figures show that state leaders and local actions are becoming more in sync. This brings California one step closer to ensuring stable housing for everyone.
