Assembly committee advances AB 790 to require homeless-response systems to prioritize women and children

Assemblymember Avila Farias presented AB 790 to the Assembly Human Services Committee, and the panel voted to pass the bill as amended to the next committee. The measure would require cities, counties and Continuums of Care that receive state funds for homelessness services to develop systems that specifically support single women with children.

The bill’s sponsor, Beatrice Olvera Stotzer, president of New Economics for Women, testified that the bill targets a population she described as “critically underserved.” Stotzer said New Economics for Women has built more than 1,700 units of affordable housing and that “across California, hundreds of thousands of single mothers are on the verge of homelessness or fleeing domestic violence.” She asked the committee to approve AB 790.

Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, who represents the Northeast San Fernando Valley and said her district has benefited from New Economics’ work, offered to coauthor the bill. No witnesses testified in opposition. After a short discussion the bill was moved by Rodriguez and seconded on the floor; the roll call recorded an aye recommendation and the committee reported the bill out to the next step.

Why it matters: proponents told the committee that single mothers and families led by women face disproportionate housing cost burdens and unique barriers to services; the bill aims to direct accountability and planning toward that group within existing homelessness funding streams.

The committee record shows the motion carried and the item was reported out of committee.