As senior counselor to Gov. Standing next to the governor on . Has it helped us flatten the curve more broadly in California and protect our hospitals from overcrowding? Sign up for our daily newsletter. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. We expected to have hard conversations with entrenched stakeholders.. 4. CARE Court is meant to target the 10,000 to 12,000 people dealing with schizophrenia and psychosis who may qualify for the program, said Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to Newsom. A lot of smaller cities are not just making this San Francisco and Oaklands problem. California has about 30,000 to 35,000 shelter beds on any given night, almost all of which are filled. She graduated from American University with a BA degree in literature with a minor in journalism. Housing | Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Gavin Newsom. 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.. 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? Yes, it has. "Sometimes people return to the streets, sometimes they return to . Jason Elliott, Newsoms top housing and homelessness advisor, said Monday that the administration expected some opposition to the proposal. He also emphasized that just as important as passing new legislation is implementing laws already on the books. 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. Some were practical and some were impossible. Q: What percent of Project Roomkey clients have exited to permanent housing? 4. He said the question of how to close the homeless spigot is motivating them to think bigger and be more aggressive. Under the proposal, family members, behavioral health care providers and first responders, among others, could petition a civil judge to initiate a CARE plan for eligible individuals who lack medical decision-making capacity. Secretly, he still does. Its a new day, new paradigm, and we are looking forward to getting something big done.. Jason Elliott, Newsom's senior counselor, will move into the deputy chief of staff role. 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.. Timing is also a key decision for Newsom. Hironakahas most recently served as Deputy Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). the political dynamics and economic and racial inequities that have Earlier this month, Newsom billed the CARE Court proposal a departure from the status quo of addressing homelessness, addiction and mental illness in California. Andrew Imparato, executive director of Disability Rights California, said his group was open to working with the administration and lawmakers on changes. Californias governor is fast-tracking a plan to compel people into court-ordered treatment, but a lot of details are still in question. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! The State Building and Construction Trades Council has pushed to include a requirement in housing bills that would force the new units to be built with union labor. Were heading down the same path here, Elliott said. Lagos: So you spent the last couple months helping London Breeds administration get settled. Are we doing much better than previous models? My favorite part of the job is when we get together in a room and theres just this unsolvable, complicated problem, and you get to just dive into it and unpack it piece by piece and try to help solve the unsolvable. So, Im gonna miss the troubleshooting with departments and mayor staff. Those who would qualify are characterized by experts as the hardest to reach and most difficult to treat, largely because they have a variety of complex needs and are often hesitant to trust government intervention. Three S.F. Mayors in Less Than 3 Months: Jason Elliott's Exit - KQED Concerns about rising crime and the homelessness crisis emerged as the top issues driving voter dissatisfaction with Gov. 5. Were heading down the same path here, Elliott said. 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. Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters In summary The answer is yes. As COVID health emergency ends, LA County officials still urge caution So theres something about continuity that underpinned how we moved forward through those next few days. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. Over the coming months, he would advise two different mayors as the city went through a truncated and highly contentious special election to replace Lee. To learn more about how we use your information, please read our privacy policy. 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. He comes from a family committed to public service. He said the governor would generally support any move to change the default to yes on more housing. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly made housing affordability a top priority of his administration. 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. Housing | This interview has been edited for length and clarity. We have exploded in bringing more interim housing beds online. Has the federal government embraced it and now is providing 100% reimbursement on the costs? Because people just want to get people inside off the streets, Klasky-Gamer said. In high school and for part of college, Elliott dreamed of becoming a journalist. (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. What was the most difficult thing about navigating that? From 2006 to 2010, she served four administrations in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. The proposal is so new there aren't many details. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. We started with a lot of ideas. Program to buy hotels for homeless people could get another influx of . On the eviction moratorium, Wicks said she was working closely with Assemblymember David Chius office to make sure tenants are protected but landlords receive missed back rent. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $166,404. Yes, it has. 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. 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. 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. As senior counselor to Gov. 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? They cant take whats happening in encampments and tents.. Yes, it has. 22 0 obj <> endobj 40 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<5AA7A98AB171764DBDDEB77ECF4D108A>]/Index[22 34]/Info 21 0 R/Length 99/Prev 82140/Root 23 0 R/Size 56/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California Gov. Titles are always hard to figure out in the Newsom administration, and nowhere is that truer than with Jason Elliott, a senior counselor to the governor. Its not enough to put a noticeable dent in the massive crisis of human suffering on our streets. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly made housing affordability a top priority of his administration. 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.. Has it helped us flatten the curve more broadly in California and protect our hospitals from overcrowding? The state hasstruggled to get tenants and landlords to enrollin existing benefits. Some policy bills face a key deadline next week, but Elliott declined to comment on specific bills, including Senate Bill 9, which would allow homeowners to put a duplex on single-family lots or split them. But getting a good read on his thinking can be difficult. A moratorium until the end of time that doesnt provide a sufficient benefit to get people to enroll, Elliott said, trailing off. Manuela is the housing reporter for CalMatters. Local governments face sanctions if they do not comply with program requirements. Sign up for The Roundup, 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 . Newsom calls for spending $12 billion more to end homelessness in California. So when you do all that math, youre looking at about 25,000 homeless people losing their lives from coronavirus.