Jason Elliott, Newsom's adviser on homeless issues, said the partnership between the city of San Diego, Caltrans and City Net is one that could be a model throughout the state. A: I remember it was a Sunday afternoon and I was walking my dog and I got a call from our then chief of staff Ann OLeary and she said I need you at (the Office of Emergency Services) right now. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $135,000. And he warned against efforts to rush the bill through the legislative process without proper public input and scrutiny. He served in several previous administrations, including as Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Deputy Legislative Secretary for Governor Gray Davis. I think its going to disproportionately impact low-income communities, Black and brown communities, so making sure people use the benefit I think is key.. Elliott was joined on the virtual panel, moderated by CalMatters, by Jennifer Svec, legislative advocate for the California Association of Realtors; Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a Democrat from the East Bay; and Adam Fowler, research director at Beacon Economics, all of whom agreed that a supply shortage was largely responsible for ballooning home prices. But getting a good read on his thinking can be difficult. Has the federal government embraced it and now is providing 100% reimbursement on the costs? Pasadena to terminate local COVID-19 orders this month Its just not something you ever want to do. Newsoms administration believes that 7,000 to 12,000 people could qualify for the court-ordered care, a fraction of the estimated 161,000 people experiencing homelessness in California. The Bay Area has pulled together in a very interesting way and focused very much on prevention and stability, which is really good. Senator Alan Cranston, research assistant for the International Union of Radio, Electric and Machine Operators, AFL-CIO, and research aide to the National Sharecroppers Fund. Housing policy advocates described Newsom's stated goal of 3.5 million new homes in four years the same way he has: aspirational. Jason Elliott, Newsoms top housing advisor, said it is up to the legislative leaders to determine the mechanism for implementation, but requested urgency to codify the law by July 1. CalMatters is a nonprofit newsroom and your tax-deductible donations help us keep bringing you and every Californian essential, nonpartisan information. Instead, California should invest in evidence-based practices that are proven to work and that will actually empower people living with mental health disabilities on their paths to recovery and allow them to retain full autonomy over their lives without the intrusion of a court.. Please contact CalMatters with any commentary questions: commentary@calmatters.org. Elliott acknowledged the state's behavioral health system has . Figueroa is a Democrat. Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor Gavin Newsom Greater . But you dont practice for that. Seeman is a Democrat. 1. No cost estimate for the plan has been released, but Newsom has pledged to spend up to $14 billion on solutions to Californias homelessness crisis over the next several years. Gavin Newsom, Elliott serves as the governors top housing and homelessness adviser. He also emphasized that just as important as passing new legislation is implementing laws already on the books. Housing | This interview has been edited for length and clarity. And making sure as the city was grieving, as we personally were grieving, that people getting up the next morning could go and get on Muni, and if they called 911 that the police would show up, and if they wanted to go to the park, that the park would be open. Elliott: I think the most challenging part was trying to take the mayors staff and key department heads and insulate them from the political turmoil that was happening inside City Hall and around the city. 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LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases, How California used COVID-19 to create housing;, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), How California used COVID-19 to create housing; a top Newsom adviser weighs in, Pasadena to terminate local COVID-19 orders this month, LA County reports 14 COVID-related deaths, 1,300-plus cases on Friday, As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution, UCLA nurses want end to COVID-era overcrowding in hospital halls and rooms, LA County reports 15 More COVID-related deaths; 882 new cases. Gavin Newsom, Born: New York City, but grew up in Palo Alto, Family: Lives with his wife and their 15-month-old daughter, Prior job: Chief of staff to San Francisco Mayors Ed Lee and London Breed, and policy director for Newsom when he was mayor. Lets start with yes, unless theres a reason not to build.. As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution "Local government has a responsibility to put their hands up and be part of the solution," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor on housing and homelessness. Sabelhauspreviously served as a Special Advisor on Appointments and Public Safety for Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,008. Q: How can we continue this momentum post-pandemic? But the bottom line is that he tackles difficult issues and advises the governor on how to respond, and his portfolio is expanding exponentially. hV[k0+eeJ!l>;h\aaK:}>>Z -A Is it the only thing we have to do to solve homelessness? California has about 30,000 to 35,000 shelter beds on any given night, almost all of which are filled. California weighs $360,000 in reparations to eligible Black residents, Majority of Hispanic Americans own a homeas incomes rise, Racial homeownership gap larger now than a decade ago, funded at least through September of this year, California Republicans give a boost to Florida Gov. Those numbers don't yet account for Los Angeles County, said Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff and top advisor on housing and homelessness. Subscribe to CalMatters free daily newsletter to get news and commentary that holds your elected leaders accountable. the free daily newsletter about California politics from the editors of Capitol Weekly. They said they worry that CARE Court would disproportionately target people of color, who are more likely to be homeless and diagnosed with psychotic disorders, and that CARE Court would enable unacceptable shortcuts in the legal system that could remove bodily autonomy and medical decision-making power. Elliott said the almost-certain recall facing Newsom later this year isnt affecting his positions on housing, either, pointing to the governors 2020 State of the State speech, where housing and homelessness took center stage. And in this case, Homekey works. You cant bid high enough on labor to get the folks you need so its kind of a moot point for the foreseeable future, he said. Gov. We have lost people back to the streets out of Project Roomkey. Lets start with yes, unless theres a reason not to build.. As health officials scrambled last March with shelter-in-place orders to slow the spread of COVID-19, Jason Elliott wastacklinganother seemingly overwhelming problem: How do we keep the more than 100,000 Californians sleeping on our streets from dying of the virus? And then the high risk factor you apply to that population. Housing | And at that point, we were modeling a 56% attack rate for the virus, meaning that we expected 56% of Californians would get coronavirus at some point during the outbreak. Our message to LA and the Bay Area and to everyone is: Project Roomkey is here and funded at least through September of this year, with 100% of the cost borne by the federal government. Q: What percent of Project Roomkey clients have exited to permanent housing? Newsom proposes plan to help homeless Californians with severe psychiatric, substance abuse and addiction issues get into housing and treatment. And it was one of the hardest days and some of the hardest weeks of my life, and I hope will be the hardest weeks of my life. 5. Q: Has Project Roomkey achieved everything you hoped it would? To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. Jason Elliott, Gov. But its the money needed to run CARE Court that concerns local officials. A: California struggles and has struggled for decades to provide adequate housing for people experiencing homelessness. That was the challenge we were facing. A: Thats a great question and I wish I had a more straightforward answer for you. By clicking subscribe, you agree to the Terms. Jason Elliott, 36, of Sacramento, is now serving as senior counselor to the Governor for housing and homelessness in the Office of the Governor, where he has served as chief deputy cabinet secretary. You cant bid high enough on labor to get the folks you need so its kind of a moot point for the foreseeable future, he said. Previously, Figueroa was Director of Prevention for The California Endowment, the nations largest state-specific health care foundation. With the generous support of readers like you, Times of San Diego publishes timely and accurate news coverage for a better-informed community. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. We expected to have hard conversations with entrenched stakeholders.. Im not going to take anybodys vote for granted, but I think with my caucus, and I think this is a bipartisan issue, everybody agrees that we need more tools in the toolbox in order to reach those who so desperately need our help.. Many affordable housing developers argue there just isnt the available workforce so that mandate would only increase the cost of construction. His sister is deputy chief of staff for the mayor of New Orleans and his cousin, who he grew up with, was chief of staff for the mayor of Portland. They say that's because the state doesn't build housing in . Elliott said he was watching with glee the Biden administrations $5 billion proposal as part of his infrastructure planto encourage local governments to end exclusionary zoningand other practices. Prior to joining CalEPA, Christine served as Assistant Director for Policy Development at the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), where she previously served as Deputy Director for Legislative Affairs. By clicking subscribe, you agree to theTerms. Not every participant would need to be homeless to qualify, but the Newsom administration expects CARE Court could help thousands of people who have spent years living without a home, as well as those cycling in and out of jails and hospitals. Because people just want to get people inside off the streets, Klasky-Gamer said. Certainly there have been outbreaks on Skid Row, certainly there have been outbreaks in some of the homeless facilities in the Tenderloin in San Francisco. Housing | We have exploded in bringing more interim housing beds online. But its a start, and more than California has done in a long time. (Courtesy of Jason Elliott) Jason Elliott had been chief of staff to San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee for only about six months when he got the call last December that Lee was in the hospital. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to. Many affordable housing developers argue there just isnt the available workforce so that mandate would only increase the cost of construction. People have had it. Jason Elliott, Gov. There is a crisis on our streets.. Have it become a fundamental part of addressing homelessness in California. Elliott: The job of a chief of staff is to implement the vision of the mayor that he or she works for. and we're trying to keep up and make sure that we can keep up with protecting Californians," said Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior adviser. What have you been trying to pass on to the people who are now going to come after you? Mayors of some of the states most populous cities have endorsed the plan as a way to alleviate a humanitarian crisis in full display on their streets. Yes, it has. Were coming up with a completely new paradigm, a new approach, a different pathway, and its consistent with our values, Newsom said earlier this month when he announced the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court. And then the high risk factor you apply to that population. Workforce development for those skilled trades is going to be so essential.. 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With a proposed budget of $4.3 million, the unit would hold cities feet to the fire when they break existing housing law, and help them take advantage of laws already in place that streamline regulations and permits. Some were really good and some were not so good. Getting cities and counties to say yes to housing is a long battle in California. She wasthe Director ofExternal Affairs at the California Exposition and State Fair in Sacramento from 2013 to 2015 and was Deputy Appointments Secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. from 2011 to 2013. California has about 30,000 to 35,000 shelter beds on any given night, almost all of which are filled. Concerns about rising crime and the homelessness crisis emerged as the top issues driving voter dissatisfaction with Gov. But nowhere near the levels that I mentioned to you a moment ago we were fearing would come to pass. Housing | CARE Court is not the appropriate tool for providing a path to wellness for Californians living with mental health disabilities who face homelessness, incarceration, hospitalization, conservatorship, and premature death, the letter states. After announcing the broad framework of his CARE Court plan, the real work begins for Gov. To move the needle, Elliott pitched the statewide Housing Accountability Unit, which Newsom proposed in his January budget. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. The Newsom administration says the excess land plan will help offset shelter costs for cities and counties at least, those willing to seek the help. Q: How did the impact of the pandemic, and the response, differ in the states two regions with the worst homelessness crises the Bay Area, and Los Angeles? Q: Describe what it was like in the governors office when the pandemic hit and you realized we could be dealing with a potentially devastating health crisis for our homeless population? Newsom has proposed pausing that increase for one year, a move that would save drivers about $1.30 per month, according to Transportation California, a nonpartisan business and labor coalition. Dee Dee Myers, another . Opinion: Newsoms budget cuts threaten public health investment contributed to the housing crisis in California and its "The whole. Lagos: So you spent the last couple months helping London Breeds administration get settled. Health | Health | In response, Jason Elliott, Newsom's top advisor on homelessness, said "every effort would be made to get them indoors." . But the advocates are concerned about more than the courts and housing. He is married to Nicole Elliott, director of the state Department of Cannabis Control. We worked 25 hours a day to design what eventually become Project Roomkey. LZe$h#0m1Nx@,Z@XO"F"K"]w8|qWWhh\6^i He comes from a family committed to public service. 1. We worked 25 hours a day to design what eventually become Project Roomkey. The answer is yes. Through Project Roomkey, we increased the amount of shelter available in California by 50%, effectively overnight. He also pledged swift action in the coming weeks to finalize the proposal and move it through the Legislature. Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. No, we shouldnt build there, Elliott said. In LA they proposed more Homekey projects than we were able to fund. Do the best you can -- what Ed Lee would want us to do is to run the city as professionally as we possibly can. Callahan served as the Chief Executive Officer of the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit. He is married to Nicole Elliott, director of the state Department of Cannabis Control. Yes, it has. The governor also has political incentives to quickly install CARE Courts. Clear out encampments, and at the same time connect people with housing and services. The proposal is so new there aren't many details. He said the question of how to close the homeless spigot is motivating them to think bigger and be more. We are not batting 1,000. But it takes time to build capacity, said Phebe Bell, behavioral health director for Nevada County and the president of the County Behavioral Health Directors Assn. Hes the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? UCLA nurses want end to COVID-era overcrowding in hospital halls and rooms To move the needle, Elliott pitched the statewide Housing Accountability Unit, which Newsomproposed in his January budget. Jason Elliott is the top housing adviser to Gov. They cant take whats happening on the streets and sidewalks. Jason Elliott Title: Senior Counselor to Gov. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, California judges could order help for homeless Californians under Newsoms new plan, What we know about Newsoms plan to compel care for homeless, mentally ill Californians, Gov. Gavin Newsom helps clean a homeless encampment alongside a freeway in San Diego. Before that, she worked for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf on her re-election campaign and managed the successful campaign of Shanell Williams forBoard of Trustees at City College of San Francisco. Most recently, she served as Director of Scheduling and Advancefor Governor-elect Newsoms Transition and the Newsom for Governor campaign. Assembly Member Matt Haney, who secured money in this year's state budget for the long-sought loo, said he heard from Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor, about the governor's concerns . He said the question of how to close the homeless spigot is motivating them to think bigger and be more aggressive. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, said the governor's "hope and expectation is that this will be going out in short order." However, he added that the ball was in the court of . Has it protected 35,000 homeless Californians? Elliott said he was watching with glee the Biden administrations $5 billion proposal as part of his infrastructure plan to encourage local governments to end exclusionary zoning and other practices. Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this, Elliott said. Hironakahas most recently served as Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). Help us grow with a monthly contribution. His grandfather was in the State Department. Most recently,Seeman servedas deputy legislative secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., where he advised on matters related to criminal justice, law enforcement, corrections and the judiciary. Housing | During apanel discussion hosted by Capitol Weeklyon Wednesday, Jason Elliott, Newsoms top advisor on housing and homelessness, provided a glimpse. California Gov. Hannah Wiley is a politics reporter for the Los Angeles Times Sacramento bureau covering the California Capitol and state agencies. As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution Are sale-leasebacks still a viable option? We are using the states money to invest in one of the states top priorities homelessness. We start with no. The governor wants to work the proposal through the budget this spring so the CARE Court program is ready to go into effect when the new fiscal year starts on July 1, as opposed to implementation after the lengthier policy process. Turning money into beds takes years in my experience, Bell said, adding that there will be this gap period where the $1.5 billion has not translated into thousands of new beds.. Graham Knaus, executive director of the California State Assn. Now, a little over a month into Mayor London Breeds term, Elliott is leaving City Hall to work for Lt. Gov. More than three dozen organizations and individuals, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Disability Rights California and the Western Center on Law and Poverty, signed an April 12 opposition letter raising serious concerns with Assembly Bill 2830, one of two nearly identical measures moving through the Legislature to implement Newsoms Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court. Jason Elliott Senior Counselor & Director of Intergovernmental Affairs EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Sepi Esfahlani Assistant Director, External Affairs Elmy Bermejo . The panels chairman, Assembly Member Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley), said in a statement that he shared many of the concerns raised by the opponents about the CARE Court bills.. Elliott said that the governor remains committed to the principles of housing first and that CARE Court would be one of many ways a person could access shelter. . Hopefully were starting to see more economic recovery coming out of COVID, although I do think its going to be a very uneven recovery, she said. We are not batting 1,000. Gavin Newsoms proposal to compel people into court-ordered treatment for mental illness and addiction is a sense of urgency to solve a decades-old crisis festering on Californias streets even if it means building the plane as it flies. And through really deliberative debate and discussion, we started to land on the idea of using hotels. 5. Katie Talbot, spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), said the idea would need to go through the policy committee process.. Support for Capitol Weekly is Provided by: Jason Elliot. Q: As a result of Homekey, the state has added more than 6,000 new long-term housing units in less than six months. We need people to enroll. The answer is yes. At the heart of Gov. Logmanwas most recently the Deputy Secretary for Business and Consumer Relations atthe CaliforniaBusiness, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. We started with a lot of ideas. Dr. Margot Kushel, a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco and director of the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, applauded the administration for promising resources, but cautioned against thinking CARE Court would be a blanket solution to the crisis. So wed really like to see communities not only continue the portfolio that they have under Project Roomkey, but potentially expand it, and expand it significantly. Hopefully were starting to see more economic recovery coming out of COVID, although I do think its going to be a very uneven recovery, she said. In LA they proposed more Homekey projects than we were able to fund. SonyaLogman, 30,of Antelope, has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Prior to working for Governor Brown,he served as a legislative consultant to State Senator Mark Leno, working on criminal justice issues, as well as privacy and technology. Richard Figueroa, 60, of Sacramento,has been appointedDeputy Cabinet Secretary. Gavin Newsom's adviser on housing and homelessness, said that while the state can build housing for homeless people and the very poor, the private sector is essential to easing the statewide housing shortage. He spearheaded two programs that together wound up being one of the states biggest feats during the unprecedented pandemic. Its not really realistic to assume were going to subsidize our way out of this, Elliott said. Were putting out more homeless housing through this program than we probably do in several years under normal circumstances. a{ b8&F=>TVFPQn r endstream endobj 23 0 obj <>/Metadata 3 0 R/Outlines 7 0 R/Pages 20 0 R/StructTreeRoot 10 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences 41 0 R>> endobj 24 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 1441.5 891.38]/Parent 20 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text]>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 25 0 obj <>stream Enter address: This website, like most media sites, uses small files called cookies to anonymously customize the advertising that you see. The transcript below was edited for brevity and clarity: Marisa Lagos: You step into these huge shoes, and then about six months later Mayor Ed Lee suddenly dies in the middle of the night. Californias governor is fast-tracking a plan to compel people into court-ordered treatment, but a lot of details are still in question. A lot of smaller cities are not just making this San Francisco and Oaklands problem. Yes, it has. He highlighted$12 billion in the governors budget proposalfor housing and homelessness and $1.75 billion to kick-start building on more than 6,000 of backlogged affordable housing units. Is it the only thing we have to do to solve homelessness? He comes from a family committed to public service. We vehemently oppose the proposal because it has this coercive court process implemented, and no right to housing, Castillo said. So what of the slew of housing bills at the state Capitol? A lot of smaller cities are not just making this San Francisco and Oaklands problem. Jason Elliott, Newsom's deputy chief of staff, runs point on homelessness for the governor. Gov. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. A, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, How California used COVID to create housing.