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Housing groups tell Little Hoover Commission centralized agency could speed delivery, urge attention to financing and rural communities
Summary
Several statewide and regional housing advocates told the Little Hoover Commission they strongly support creating a California Housing and Homelessness Agency to reduce fragmentation, speed funding, and better serve rural, tribal and disaster-affected communities, and urged attention to financing structures and economic development alignment.
Multiple housing-sector speakers during the commission's public-comment period on May 13 urged the Little Hoover Commission to back creation of a California Housing and Homelessness Agency and to use the reorganization as an opportunity to improve financing and regional coordination.
Kate Gordon, CEO of California Forward, told commissioners the state's housing crisis requires "aligned leadership and more streamlined delivery of housing," and urged the commission to explore whether GO-Biz should be elevated or whether the state should create a cabinet-level economic-development function to provide continuity across administrations.
Speakers from the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California, the California Coalition for Rural Housing and Resources for Community Development described how a centralized agency could reduce delays in financing and loan closings, help rural and tribal communities access federal funds and speed production of affordable units. Eric Vasquez of EAH Housing said practitioners see "fragmentation and inefficiencies" in the current system and urged the commission to support the governor's proposal to improve alignment and accountability.
Commissioners cited the public comments in their deliberations, asking staff to consider companion measures that would preserve functioning programs, clarify which homelessness programs should move into the new agency, and design streamlined application processes for housing finance while recognizing the differences among homelessness providers.
The commission will review a draft report on May 29 and must submit final recommendations to the Legislature and governor by June 4.
